Coalescence
by TellThemNaegi
Summary: Time moved forward, the seasons changed, and so did they. (Part three of the Before the Fall series)
1. Alone

A parade of thunder jolted a small boy from his sleep. He laid on a bed far too large for him and spacious enough to accommodate at least two adults. The boy smoothed out his bed-head which often caused his ashen hair to scatter about unevenly. He then took in the empty space and frowned to himself before getting off the bed.

His destination was a nearby window, where he ruminated over the heavy downpour of rain. The glass flashed a light blue as lightning struck.

"Ah!" He fell back at the sound of thunder crashing

He clutched his head, afraid but it was only a momentary fear; he could explain the logistics behind the weather phenomena and deduce the chances of him getting harmed at home were practically zero. By acknowledging the facts, he could stay calm and rationalize the situation.

"Whew…hehe, it'll take a lot more than that to scare me, Nagito." The boy called out his own name with false pride.

Nagito lived in a large mansion on the wealthier side of the city. He didn't understand the financial details but he was obviously very well-off, at least compared to most of the kids at school. Something his friends teased him about constantly.

He wasn't sure if he liked living in such a big house…because it was always all the more empty when he was home alone. And that happened very often.

Nagito trailed down the stairs and stared at the clock.

The time read 2:00AM…and his parents still weren't home. There was nothing uncommon about that detail. He had wealthy parents but that meant he also had hard-working parents, who often worked overnight or even overseas.

Sometimes he wouldn't see them for days and sometimes months on dad's end. Tonight was looking like the former. There was usually a baby sitter to check up on him but she had already gone home for the day.

Nagito sighed. He didn't feel like going back to sleep…not because he wasn't scared. He wasn't!

The next bout of thunder proved that belief wrong as he almost jumped a feet into the air. Even if his mind could reason out logic, he still had the biological immaturity of a child.

"Mom…dad, come home already." He whispered, taking a seat on the ground near the front door.

He waited…and waited…and waited…

* * *

A dream?

He couldn't remember what it was about. He couldn't remember anything anymore, nor did he have the strength to leave his hospital bed. He'd become an invalid, comparably even more worthless than anyone else. But there was something he needed to do...and it involved the notebook he could barely hold in his hand

What was it though?

"You're writing to someone. A love letter, perhaps." There was a woman sitting by him. Strawberry-blond hair and a black-white-color scheme for an outfit. He didn't remember her either.

"I'm Junko Enoshima." She anticipated his thoughts.

"Enoshima. Pleased to meet you, I'm...never mind. Who am I writing to?" How depressing, he couldn't even recall his own name.

As if finding amusement in his situation, Enoshima smiled. "Makoto Naegi."

That name, he remembered that person...and what he had to do.

"You'd better hurry then. I estimate there's only a few days left." The diva continued reading his mind. She gazed down on him with the curiosity of a child witnessing the dying embers of a once incandescent flame.

"Enoshima." He called. The name Makoto also brought back memories of this girl. Not enough to say he knew her, but enough to gain a vague understanding of her personality.

"What is it?"

"Care to make a bet with me?" He said

Her smile grew wider.


	2. Him

**Author's Note: All characters will be at their DR3 ages**

* * *

You're almost there – were the words Makoto's trainer uttered so very often. Those words were simple, direct and yet so incredibly hard for him to achieve.

He moved too slowly. "Almost" felt like an eternity with his weakened body. One step felt like hundreds and were it not for Satsuki keeping close pace with him, he would have fallen several hundred steps before. The scorching heat didn't make his trials easier either. But eventually, that eternity gave way to his determination.

"Way to make progress, Spiky." Satsuki encouraged him in her eccentric way of speaking. He smiled back at her, hollow it may have been these days.

* * *

"You did great, Makoto!" Komaru rushed over and embraced him with enough force to nearly push him off the treadmill's railings. Makoto shuddered at the touch; his sister still emanated cold from the outside.

"G-Get off him, you overgrown, big-boobed monkey. Can't you see you'll injure him…or worse, give him a cold?" Toko had come along with her. The comment on her bust size aside, Komaru had grown. Not just in body but also in mind; a reliable little sister was a concept so foreign, he couldn't help but smile.

* * *

Makoto looked to nearest window with a frozen expression of comparable measure to the ice growing on its edges.

"Makoto, please pay attention." Mikan advised. Makoto directed his focus to see Toko scowling at him while Komaru observed nearby. Toko had been relaying notes from her high school classes to him, the mandatory ones anyway. It needn't be said but Makoto's academic state was at a pitiful level, below even that of a first year.

He apologized.

"I-I guess it's not _completely_ your fault. I was bored to tears learning this crap from the teacher. Learning it f-from me must be twice as awful." Toko self-depreciated.

"I don't know about _that_, Toko. More than studying, I think Makoto needs to get out more. We can't keep him cooped up here forever." Komaru said, reaching for his jacket as if she had already decided to put her suggestion into motion.

"I think that would be a wise course of action." Mikan interjected "However, do _you_ want to go outside, Makoto?"

He said nothing.

"M-Maybe he would, if he actually _had_ friends to hang out with." The author's words were blunt and judgmental. Over time, Toko had grown as well, from what little he knew of her before the coma. She was stronger now and more open to speaking her thoughts, regardless of what others may think.

"That's true. Come to think of it, the only friend Makoto had for a long time had been Komaeda-" Komaru covered her mouth one word too late.

The ex-writing prodigy and nurse gazed at her with annoyance and exasperation.

"May I have a word outside, Miss. Naegi." Mikan's smile struck Komaru with abject fear as she whimpered on the way outside. She cast Makoto an apologetic look right before leaving.

Makoto returned to the scenery that lied outside that thin layer glass once again. Summer's warmth and vitality it could inspire even the bitterest individual. However, Makoto felt the cold and gray skies of winter were better suited to someone like him.

* * *

_77…78…79…_

Makoto counted the number of pushups as his arms lifted from the ground in a hydraulic motion, only halting when he heard someone enter the room. He glanced over to the door to see Toko looming over him from afar with an apathetic expression, as if the sight was both routine and dull.

"Where's Komaru?" He stood. The author responded with painfully typical indignation - something along the lines of "being unwanted". Makoto smoothed it over quickly; he'd just noticed his dear sister had been coming less often compared to the previous year. Although that was still at least 4 days a week.

Toko's lips twitched upwards into a scheming smirk. "I-I'll bet you want to know." Makoto raised his eyebrow at her provocative tone. After constant prodding from him, she answered (though she clearly just wanted him to beg for the information)

"Komaru got a boyfriend."

"That's…great, it's normal for her age right. I've never had one but most teenagers do right?" His casual response disappointed Toko, judging from her scowl.

"You're so boring. I thought you were a p-pair of closeted incestuous siblings. Guess it's a one-way brocon on Komaru's end." He dismissed her words as a sick joke…but he was strangely curious.

"What's he like?" Makoto's curiosity satisfied Toko as her twisted smile returned. She said his name was Yuta Asahina, the younger brother of a friend of hers. That link was apparently how the two lovebirds had met. He was happy for Komaru but that was about the extent of his interest. If the boy could be trusted then he'd look no deeper into their relationship.

"T-This isn't how it should be at all." Toko sounded frustrated, to his confusion. "Y-You're supposed to overreact, be defensive and demand to see if that gym freak is worthy of your sister."

Makoto nearly cringed.…what did this woman think older brothers were? Gatekeepers? Well, maybe if Komaru was _marrying_ the guy, he'd react that way. For now, he wasn't all that invested in her fantasies

"Grrr. Just get out there. They're having a date at the aquarium."

* * *

He found the pair of teenagers "thanks" to Toko sending him their coordinates. The couple frolicked around a fish tank while he watched from the entrance into the area. Without a doubt, he knew Toko must have gotten the information from Komaru herself with how accurate the coordinates were. His sister probably wasn't aware _what_ the author was using that information for, else she'd never agree to her brother stalking her date.

…Whatever, he's hit bigger lows than this before. Besides, if there's one thing he could be thankful, it's the excuse to leave the hospital…hm?

Makoto noticed a (very) conspicuous individual on the other end of the door, watching his sister and her boyfriend. He immediately deduced the figure was a woman but it was hard to tell with how abhorrently suspicious she was dressed; she wore sunglasses (inside), a cap and a mask on the lower half of her face. All that gave her gender away were her body's curves.

Maybe that defensive overreaction Toko talked about kicked in a little late or just irritation that had built over several days, but Makoto couldn't resist the urge to walk up to the individual and forcefully grab their shoulder. Against her protests, Makoto dragged her by the arm and moved to a secluded area. There he grabbed both of her wrists and pinned her to the wall.

"Why are you stalking those two?" He interrogated harshly. Yeah, that was definitely the irritation talking. Even he was surprised he could sound as feral as he did.

"N-None of your business!" She retorted. He could tell she was embarrassed. As anyone would be after being caught in the act.

"I'm _making_ it my business."

"Oh yeah?" Makoto wasn't sure what triggered the girl, however what happened next was something he wouldn't expect. The stalker broke out of his hold and flipped their positions. Now he was the one backed up against the wall, and even with those stupid shades in the way, he could tell she was glaring at him.

"What's it to you, creep?" He couldn't help but wonder if she understood the irony behind her words while dressed in that getup.

"That's my sister and her friend you're creeping on, pervert." He growled.

"Who're you calling a perv? That's my brother over there and I have every right to…what were you doing there anyway?" It seems this weirdo was finally connecting the dots…old on...brother?

"Are you Asahina?"

She squealed and backed off, clearly disturbed at having her cover blown. If this was Toko's friend…then she was likely here for the same reason Toko shoved him into this situation other words…he overreacted.

Goddamit Toko.

After sitting in several moments of unbearably awkward silence, he spoke first. "You're a doting older sister to be _this_ worried about your little brother."

"Y-You're one to talk. Who's the one following their little sister around?" She bit back.

He'd tell her he was here against his will but this was enough to break the ice. No need to stonewall the conversation…but that outfit needed to go.

"That's fair but at least I'm not the one dressed like a complete idiot." He said.

"I don't believe you. Hiro said this outfit was a perfect disguise!" Asahina wailed. He told her to walk into the girl's bathroom and look at herself in the mirror. She hesitated for a brief moment before doing as advised.

He waited alone for some time, much longer than it would take just to peek at a mirror. He hoped she wasn't having a breakdown…

From the washroom, a tanned girl in a white top and blue shorts walked out and made her way over to him. His eyebrows furrowed. "May I help you?"

"Ha-ha, _real funny_." She (who was evidently Asahina) frowned at him. He asked what happened to the disguise. She pointed at the trash. Good idea, if he said so himself.

"I feel so stupid moving around in that. Thanks for the heads up."

"You can thank me by telling me what you were planning on doing here." He muttered.

"Not sure I like how you phrased that…" Asahina shrugged "I'm fulfilling my obligation as a big sister."

"Eh? There was such a thing?" Makoto blinked, intrigued.

"Totally. Watching over your younger siblings' first date is every older sibling's job!" She said passionately.

"I didn't know that was my responsibility. Thanks for telling me." Makoto furrowed his eyebrows and gave Asahina's words a great deal of thought. He wasn't aware older siblings had customs like this but that might explain why Toko was so adamant he come here. Makoto didn't want to make it seem like he was neglecting Komaru.

"It's different for everyone I think. Yuta's a goofball so I'm making sure he doesn't screw up or act like a creep." She said. That last bit… she really doesn't see the irony?

"If you're not looking after your sister then why are you here?" She puffed her cheeks. He told her the truth; that he'd been rudely hounded by Toko. Asahina beamed at the mention of the ex-ultimate writing prodigy. He'd almost forgotten they were classmates. What a small world.

He also accidentally let it slip that he was a hospital patient. He hadn't considered it a problem at the time but he'd been wrong, judging from the tanned girl's reaction.

"Sorrysorrysorrysorry…" She trailed on and on.

"You're forgiven, already. Just stop." He exclaimed, taking notice of the stares directed their way. "What are you even apologizing for?"

"Well, I kind of manhandled you back there." She blushed, embarrassed at her actions. He started the misunderstanding so what did she have to be sorry for.

She didn't accept his reasoning however and went on about 'making it up to him'. No sooner than a minute later, he found himself dragged by the arm. Asahina insisted she guide him to a café on the other side of the block. He gave up protesting as soon as he realized this girl was tiring to be around, in a completely different way from Toko and Komaru.

Unbeknownst to either of them, a pair of eyes observed their exchange from start to finish.

"Booyah, it worked." Komaru jumped out of the corner

"Hey, is this really ok?" Yuta followed up with considerably less energy.

"What's with that tone? You can't back out now after you promised to help."

"You didn't say anything about tricking my sister!"

"We had to. Only Aoi could bring my stupid brother out of his slump." The entire charade had all been planned by Komaru from the start. She knew Makoto's recovery would be slow, just not _this_ slow. She missed her goofy, optimistic brother. Now all he did was train all day. She didn't care what any doctor said. Makoto was never going to get better if he was stuck in the same environment, meeting the same people every day. Komaru was under no circumstances, about to let her older brother turn into anti-social muscle-head. Thankfully, she knew Yuta's older sister, who could make friends with just about anyone.

"Now settle down while I tell Toko plan Hinaegi went off without a hitch." Truthfully…Toko planned the whole thing, but Komaru's offered her the idea and even helped!

"Uh, could you wait on that?" Yuta said.

"Why?"

"Well…we're here already, so maybe…we could have some more fun?" Yuta scratched his fair and turned his face away from her slightly.

"O-Oh." Komaru blushed.

Then again, nobody said the date _had_ to be faked. Toko wouldn't be mad if Komaru was a little late on the update.

* * *

"That'll be 5000 yen, sir." Said the man behind the cash register.

Naegi exchanged the money in his wallet for a pack of donuts, a latte and coffee

He brought the items to the table Asahina occupied for them planted it in the middle.

"Thanks for the service." She grinned, delightedly. He'd have thought it a cute smile, had it not been made at his expense.

"You know, when _you_ were the one who invited me here, I assumed _you'd_ also be the one treating me." He frowned as he sat down across from her.

"Ehehehe. My bad, I must have left my wallet in that stupid trench coat." She lied through her teeth.

"Why'd you order all those donuts? All those calories can't be good for your figure." He wondered.

"W-W-What did you saaaay? I've never once put on weight from donuts." She spoke with indignation. With eyes trailing downwards from Asahina's face, Makoto couldn't help wonder if her claim was true or if the 'weight' had gone elsewhere.

Makoto swiftly shifted his eyes away from Asahina's chest and savored the cup of coffee he brought to his lips. The warmth was welcome for he had underestimated the chilling weather of February. It didn't help that he gave away his hoodie to Asahina, who hadn't exactly been dressed modestly after shedding that stupid looking outfit.

"Are you listening?" Asahina yelled.

"Sorry, what was that?"

"Geez, you're a total space-case."

"What heck was a space-case?" He wasn't exactly up to date on what was cool to say nowadays.

"I said that you're helping me finish these donuts."

"I'm not a fan of sweets, sorry." Makoto rejected her immediately. To be precise, he was no longer a fan of sweets.

"You…don't…like…donuts?" His acquaintance blinked rapidly, as if physically incapable of comprehending what he'd just said.

"N-No, I don't" He said, a bit disturbed at the change in atmosphere.

"Are you…serious?"

"Yes."

"Seriously…_human_?"

"Last I checked, I _am_ a Homo-sapiens." He hadn't exactly dropped the bombshell of the century here.

"Liar! There's no such thing as a human who doesn't like donuts; we haven't strayed that far from God's light!" She slammed her palm on the table.

Makoto had never regretted expressing his taste in food nearly as much as he did right now. Asahina proceeded to give him a full-on lecture about the wonders of donuts and the heavenly process of Donutification.

By the time she'd finished her spiel… "Hee-hahahaha." He'd broken out laughing. She was just so ridiculous.

"I don't think I said anything all that funny…but it's good to see you can actually laugh. You have a good smile, show it off more." She crossed her arm.

"Thank you." He replied, dodging the advice.

"Asahina…you attended Hope's Peak right?" In all honesty, he'd been curious about something the whole time.

"Did Toko tell you that? Wait, does Toko talk about me? Nothing bad I hope?" She rambled.

"She's only mentioned you in passing."

"Oh." Asahina deflated. "Why'd you ask then?"

"I just wanted to know if…" HPA didn't have a large number of students in the main course. There's a possibility that Asahina knew Kyoko.

"If…" But did he deserve to ask?

"IIIIIf~?" She urged him

" I…wanted to know what your talent was." He didn't.

"That's all? I used to be the ultimate swimmer."

"I picked a fight with an athlete?"

With a cheeky grin, Asahina shadow-boxed at thin air while Makoto inched away from her fists nervously.

"Thanks for not kicking my ass." He muttered.

"Come on. I already apologized." Asahina whined before flicking her wrist "Your grip strength isn't bad. Do you work out?" She tried to not come across as insensitive, subtly hinting at how he didn't look like the type to train.

"Yeah, I do. I don't fit the image, do I?" Before the accident, Makoto had never so much as stepped on a treadmill, merely because it wasn't in sight of his interests. That still hadn't changed. Makoto didn't particularly like working out, nor did he dislike it. _It was simply all that there was for him to do in the hospital. _Exercise was necessary for his body to recover; he started out light and then worked his way up from there. By now, Makoto had long since completed that phase of recuperation…but he hadn't been given a reason to _stop_ exercising.

This knowledge had apparently struck a chord with Asahina, who now appraised him with vigor. Makoto could almost see the gears turning in her head.

"W-What is it?" His tone, weary.

"I think I've found a way to pay you back." The suspiciously bubbly girl replied. Makoto was afraid to hear her suggestion but inquired anyway.

"You're looking at your new coach."

...

And so another exhausting person entered his life.

* * *

As it turns out, Asahina was eager to make good on her promise. Makoto was surprised to see her no later than the very next day. Makoto nearly jumped out of his bed when she barged into his hospital room. He owed that surprise to Toko, apparently.

The ex-ultimate swimmer wasted no time in dragging out Makoto out of the hospital, while sharing an unfavorable opinion of the environment. Instead, she'd taken him out to the mall where she shopped for gear, tracksuits and a replacement for his hoodie. The biggest surprise of all was that _Asahina paid for everything._

_"_What's that supposed to mean?" Asahina scowled.

"…Honestly, I was expecting you'd mooch off me again."

"What kind of girl do you take me for!?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

"I'm going to run your ungrateful butt ragged. Better prepare yourself." She fumed, while he teased her.

He quickly came to regret that decision after forgetting one important point. Aoi Asahina was a girl who kept her promises.

* * *

"No…more." Makoto panted. He hunched over and clutched his knees beneath a red tracksuit. That…_madwoman_ forced him to run an incredibly long distance without stopping once. And worst of all…

"Giving up already, Naegi?" Asahina said in a gruff voice, _after she passed him on the track for the 3__rd__ time. _

"_Yes_! Give me a break!" He whined

"You will never improve unless you strive to surpass your own limits." There it was again. She'd been talking weird ever since they began. "And we haven't sprinted all that much."

In shock at her words, Makoto's neck snapped towards her at such speeds that the motion was nearly audible.

"We just ran 3 laps!" He growled. That may not have sounded like much to some, but there a few factors to account for in his predicament. The first being the bed of snow that covered the track, making it difficult to find footing. The second was of course, that Makoto wasn't exactly in the best of shape to endeavor in such extremes on the first day. Finally was the terrain itself. While Asahina was an alumnus at HPA, she was still able to access their resources. Now consider that the school is meant to house and develop the talents of some of the best and brightest. Thus, it should come as no surprise to learn that the track field was nearly three times the size of what you'd find nearly anywhere else.

"You wuss. I do this all the time." She dropped the strange accent.

"I'm not you, Asahina."

A saddened expression overtook the girl's features. Upon seeing that, Makoto took a deep breath and straightened up.

"But, I don't think my pride can take it if you run a lap on me again so...see ya." He dashed abruptly and took off.

"You cheater!" The girl who was left behind yelled, before resuming her own sprint. Makoto looked back to see her gaining on him.

He turned back to meet the cold winds smacking against his face. The smile he wore faded as he reflected on his provocations to Asahina.

_Not like he had any pride to speak of._

_..._

He ran for 10 minutes more before collapsing on the snow. The substance partially melted upon contact with his body heat. He didn't care how lame he looked right now, he wasn't getting up.

A while later, Asahina stopped by with a proud grin.

"Feels good, right?" She said.

"My legs are broken and my lungs are on fire." He replied.

"But…it feels good, right?" Asahina repeated as her smile widened.

Makoto pouted and closed his eyes in petty defiance, before conceding.

"It feels good."

* * *

Komaru, Toko, Yuta and Satsuki observed the interaction from a distance, taking care to remain hidden. Komaru was able to enter because the other three attended HPA (or did in Toko's case). She mulled over the events. This wasn't exactly what Komaru had in mind for plan Hinaegi…but at least her brother looks happy…ok happi_er_. Baby steps.

"Why was your big sister talking like that, Yuta?" Komaru wondered

"I think-" Yuta began but was abruptly cut off by Toko.

"She's copying Sakura. It's a poor imitation but I don't know anyone else with a voice that deep and speaks like they're from 500 years ago." Toko watched the scene in confusion, wondering when Aoi ascended to a higher plane of stupidity.

"T-To top it off, Sakura was the only one in our class who could keep up with b-balloon tits." Then again, Owari could have fit the bill too. Was there anything else she was forgetting.

"Oh right, they're best friends…or girlfriends. Hell, if I know."

"Aoi has a girlfriend!?" Yuta stepped back, reeling from the bombshell the author dropped.

"I just said I don't know. P-Probably though."

"How can you not know if they're dating? You've been friends for years!" Komaru scolded.

Toko shrugged in return.

"It might be my imagination but… Makoto is…kind of a manwhore." Satsuki said out of the blue, silencing the other three.

Until Komaru exploded, that is.

"Don't call my brother that!" The Naegi sister started shaking the nurse by the shoulders.

"Asahina likes him. Director Tsumiki likes him. I like him. Hell, even Toko likes him, whether she'll admit it or not . You do too but I guess you wouldn't count being his sister and all; you _have_ to like him."

"T-Toko, say something." Komaru looked to her best friend for help.

"I-I think he's pitiful at best. L-Like a mentally disabled dog I have to look after. The siscon, Kommaru belongs there for sure though." Toko was not helping.

"R-Really?" Yuta muttered

"Toko, this is serious!" Komaru said

"Oh please, d-don't act like you wouldn't give anything for a chance to g-get in his pants." Toko said with a perverted grin. Messing with a Naegi was one of life's great joys.

"WHAT!?" Yuta stared at Komaru, mortified.

"No! Stop spreading lies, Toko. If you don't then forget me helping you with Togami." Komaru pleaded with scorched pink cheeks.

The author rolled her eyes, doubting Komaru would be of any help whatsoever on that front.

"S-Slutsuki's not wrong. Have you _seen_ Makoto with any male friends?"

"That's not his fault." Komaru said, adamantly trying to defend her sibling to the end. However…the thought did stick with her. Maybe Komaru had to be worried about Makoto in a completely different way than she thought.

…

"Komaeda was his friend…wasn't he?"

Toko genuinely couldn't tell.

* * *

Makoto had quickly come to realize that Hina knew nothing of playing the part of a coach. The girl would constantly switch training regimen without fully exploring the benefits of any single exercise. The jogging phase had only lasted a few days, for example.

_Now I have to compete with her in her best sport; swimming._ He thought, rising from the water of an indoor pool in nothing but swimming shorts.

He didn't mind too much though. As far as he was concerned, this was merely a fun occasion among friends, and it was scorching outside anyway. If there was something that did bother him, it'd be the feeling of an unknown change in him over the last few days.

Before he had any chance to mull it over, Hina returned.

"Hey, Makoto." She waved, ushering him to come over. Whatever she had planned, he hoped it wasn't too bothersome. He tensed when he noticed someone else enter behind her.

The person was a tall, muscular woman with jagged silver hair wrapped in a pony tail. She wore a white jacket with its sleeves ripped off (fashion statement?) overtop bandages and a skirt. If one were to employ a measure of beauty using modern society's standards, this woman would likely not meet the standard. And yet Makoto could say without a doubt – She was beautiful.

"This is Sakura Ogami." Hina clung to the taller woman's arm.

Ogami…that name rings a bell. His memories before he woke up weren't terribly reliable save for general or important details and even those took time to unearth. In that case, she must have either been someone he knew or someone famous that he had to have known. Think…

"The…world's strongest fighter?" He said slowly as he came to the realization. Seriously!? "You're that Sakura Ogami?"

"I would not know if there is another who shares the name but I can say that title is mine."

"I know guys love building muscle and I thought Sakura would have more experience there than me. That's why I called her to help." Hina explained.

"_The_ Sakura Ogami is going to be my coach."

"Would that be a problem?" Ogami asked.

"No way, but this is totally unreal."

"Heeey, you weren't nearly this happy when I volunteered." Hina puffed her cheeks. "Whatever. I'll let you off since you get how amazing Sakura is."

"Um…Why am I only meeting her now?"

"Sakura travels around the world to compete in fighting tournaments so I don't get to see her as much. Actually, the travel part goes for a lot of my classmates."

_Oh…_

He noticed they were looking at him…oh right!

"I-I'm Makoto Naegi." He forgot to introduce himself.

"See, I told you he was a space-case. His head's always in the clouds." Hina broke out into laughter while the ogre smirked, both finding enjoyment in his reactions.

"With your permission, I'd like to inspect your body." Ogami said.

Makoto nodded. He expected she wanted to see what level his physique was at…he'd experienced it enough with Mikan in the hospital.

"Your muscles are adequate. I can work with this." Ogami proclaimed. Makoto had passed some unknown test, he guessed.

"Now, let's get to it. I can't wait to work out with you again, Sakura." Hina said ecstatically.

"The feeling is mutual" Ogami returned the gesture.

Makoto simply followed from behind, chuckling to himself. Guess he just became the third wheel.

A ringing noise spontaneously came from the bench nearby. It was Hina's cell phone. She must have left it there, so he might as well answer and forward the phone to her.

Makoto picked up the cell-phone, only his fingers stopped just short of accepting the call. His mind came to a halt upon viewing the Caller-ID.

The ringing eventually stopped. With a neutral expression, Makoto followed after the girls.

* * *

"Naegi, I wish to speak with you on a private matter." Ogami said abruptly. It had been a week since he began weight lifting with the world's strongest woman, as bizarre as that sounded. Makoto had learned enough about Ogami's personality to know that she wasn't one for small talk or mincing words.

"Did you need something?" He asked, after making sure Hina wasn't in the room.

"Is there a goal you have in mind?" Ogami started.

An odd question.

Makoto shook his head.

"For what purpose do you seek to get stronger?"

"There…isn't one, really. I suppose because Hina invested a lot in me."

"…Hina has great difficulty keeping pace with others; she doesn'tfollower proper procedure. From what she told me, your very first day was difficult enough to have been reserved for weeks down the line. After testing your physique, I can guarantee you must have strained yourself significantly."

"Wow…that's pretty much correct." All of it. Was this the part where he should it's expected of her to be so knowledgeable?

"I am glad to have been on the mark. Therefore, I ask again; why do you endeavor?"

"My answer is the same, really. There's not much of a reason. If there was one, it'd be that Hina's done quite a lot for me and I couldn't say no to someone so…kind."

Ogami frowned. "Indeed. Asahina is a very kind girl but that kindness also makes her oblivious to the impure. I have seen many times where others approached for…unwholesome reasons. Needless to say, I quickly rooted them out."

"Unwholesome? What do you mean?" He tilted his head.

Sakura arched an eyebrow. She momentarily pondered if he was intentionally being crude by having her elaborate but his expression suggested he's confusion was genuine. "It means these people were attempting to hurt Hina. And I suspect you may be among that ilk."

Ah, that makes sense.

"May I ask why?"

"You lack spirit. Anyone who seeks improvement must also have the drive to better themselves face adversity. Their reward for doing so is strength. In your case, you care nothing for that reward. Of course, I have known martial artists who find enjoyment in adversity itself but you do not strike me as that sort."

She deduced that Hina is the only reason for me to be doing this. Admittedly, that is true in a way.

"I understand. Do you want me to stop exercising with her?" He asked

"I do not intend to block your friendship. Whoever Hina associates with is her own decision; I simply will not tolerate you defiling her goodwill." Ogami glared at him. "I will ask once more. Why do you continue?"

That ferocious gaze would threaten a lesser man to empty their bowels. Makoto was certainly a lesser man, and yet…he felt calm.

"Ogami, you are a very kind person." He said. He hadn't been wrong in his initial assessment. Ogami embodied an incorruptible beauty that was meant to be revered.

The fighter seemed puzzled at his words, not expecting that answer.

"Hina is really lucky to have someone like you, and I think she deserves it too." He elaborated "Sadly, my answer's the same."

"In that case…" Ogami's glare deepened, however Makoto responded with a raise of the hand

"I think you're misunderstanding something…or rather, your question was misplaced. What I've been trying to say is that the reason you're looking for…it would have to be the absence of one at all."

"What?" Pure confusion crossed the ogre's features.

"That is to say…" Makoto smiled. "I never had a reason to stop in the first place."

As if coming to a sudden understanding, Ogami nodded albeit grimly "I understand. You may return to your workout now."

Makoto nodded and turned his back on the martial artist.

Sakura gave Makoto a pitying glance as he left, as she considered the weight of his words. She had found him suspicious but not harmful. If she thought him the latter then they would not have had any discussion at all, she would have _made_ him leave Hina alone. Sakura was glad that didn't turn out to be the case. Unfortunately, what she discovered was little better.

Sakura was no psychiatrist but she knew depression when she saw it. Naegi continues merely because he cares little what happens either way. A person with regard for neither victory nor defeat only wanders aimlessly. If such a person were to be swept up by the tide, they would allow themselves to drift without resistance. Hina was that tide.

Hina had told her that Naegi was a hospital patient but for what illness, Sakura did not know. While unintentional, the tendency to overlook the finer (and often crucial) details of a matter was one of Hina's greatest weaknesses. Sakura doubted the swimmer had even probed Naegi on that front and inquired further. Training the body always comes after training the mind, and while Naegi's body was sufficient, the mind was fractured glass.

Nevertheless, Sakura had already made up her mind. A friend of Hina's was a friend of hers. And friends were meant to be protected at all costs, to the best of her ability. To do that, she needed information. As she recalled, Toko knew Naegi best out of them. That was good, she'd been wanting to speak with her old friend.

The metallic sound of weights falling. Naegi's form ranged from poor to mediocre. However, his progress was something to be admired.

He had potential.

Sakura smirked

…It was times like these that she wished Nekomaru was still around. He would have reveled at the challenge of undertaking such a promising and troublesome student.

* * *

Makoto prepared for what was likely to be the most exhausting evening he'd experienced since he first ran with Hina. But it was a meeting he looked forward to with nostalgic amity – Mikan had told him that person returned to the city earlier this week and deciding to pay him a visit, so it was best to ready himself for anything.

He contemplated wearing the light coat outside. The weather was freezing yet again but the coat felt smaller than when Hina bought it for him, which wasn't all that long ago. Why was it a tighter fit?

The door flung open

"Oh yeah, Fuck yeah, the queen bitch is here!" A booming voice said crassly. Makoto didn't _need_ to look to tell who had just stormed in. The number of people he knew that would boldly and unabashedly make an entrance like that in a hospital amounted to a single individual. Makoto could see that she still stayed true to her moniker as a fashion entrepreneur; she let her hair flow down and wore a black jacket, blue jean shorts and long combat heels. Each of them was by no means inexpensive going by appearances alone. Her curves were more defined and she was even more beautiful than he remembered. However, he was well aware that her appearance only served to conceal the danger that laid beneath.

"Junko Enoshima in the house-...who the hell are you?" She tipped her sunglasses to reveal blue eyes.

Makoto raised an eyebrow.

"I'm pretty sure this is the right room, Mikan wouldn't lie to me. Hey, stud, you seen Makoto around? Little guy, cutie, wears a green hoodie all the time and um, has dumber hair than yours."

Makoto nodded "He's on this floor, door to the furthest right out of the elevator. He might be hard to spot at first but you'll find him after a quick search."

"If I remember correctly…isn't that…the garbage room?" She came to a slow realization.

Makoto nodded again. This time with a smile that couldn't be farther from genuine.

"Puhuhuhu." She clutched her stomach with exaggerated laughter.

"Nice to see you again, Junko." This time, his smile was true. Junko returned it with a Cheshire grin of her own and pulled him into a hug.

"This is going to be soooo much fun." She said rubbing her head against his chest. "…Hold on."

Junko abruptly pulled away, her expressions indicating confusion. She then pulled up his shirt and slid her palm over his abdomen.

"_Gross_." Said a voice not belonging to his or Junko's. It was so quiet that Makoto thought he imagined it.

"What are you doing?" He asked, making no move to stop her. He didn't think Junko was certified for body checkups like Mikan.

Junko stumbled back before dramatically slumping on the floor. Crocodile tears slid down from her eyes as she held both hands to her mouth "I don't believe it. I looked away from a second (years) and now my cute Mako turned into a man." She actually cried with the passion of a mother overcome with the joy of watching her child develop into an adult.

Incredible, he knew exactly what to expect and he was _still_ overwhelmed.

Then again, he'd noticed something after the embrace. Makoto remembered always having to look up at the fashionista because of her functionally impractical heels, but now they were dead even in height. If anything, he was slightly taller.

He _had_ grown. That must have been the change that'd been bugging him for the past few months. Why didn't anyone mention it till now? It could be they hadn't noticed since he saw them regularly.

"Alright, let's hit the town! Upupu~" She forcefully dragged him away. He was starting to become used to being dragged along; can' anyone let him walk like a normal person instead of manhandling him?

Oh, they passed Komaru on the way, who looked at him in disbelief. All he could do was wave over.

The smaller Naegi counted up to 6 on her fingers and stared at the duo in dismay. Satsuki couldn't have been telling the truth. She'd known Makoto all her life and he definitely wasn't the promiscuous type…but it _was_ true that he only associated with women.

...

Komaru witnessed someone else leave Makoto's room. While incomparable to the blond dragging her brother like a doll in the wind, the woman standing before Komaru displayed beauty above the norm; Jet-black hair that reached her hips, a leather black jacket over top a plain white shirt, a choker and blue ripped jeans. She had a light punk aesthetic that made her seem intimidating but not to an extreme that tarnished her looks or to the extent that one could easily formulate a stereotypical opinion of her. To put it another way, she was the natural sort that needn't exert effort to look pretty. The complete opposite of the one who passed by Komaru earlier.

"Are you his little sister?" The older woman addressed her.

"Yes. Are you Makoto's friend?"

"I would say more of an acquaintance. I'm Mukuro Ikusaba."

Komaru actually felt relieved to hear that. It was then Mukuro smiled, almost as if she'd seen through and judged Komaru's reaction.

"It must be worrisome. I have a sister myself and It's no small grief keeping her out of trouble. I can understand your feelings, considering how popular and _aggressive_ I've heard Makoto is."

"A-Aggressive?" Komaru's eyebrows shot up.

"You didn't know? Then it's not my place to say and I don't want to get him in trouble."

Komaru reached for her hand as soon as she was about to turn away.

"Hold on a minute. I-I have a right to know."

"Alright." The elder twin gave in easily, contrary to the resolve she showed not a full 10 second before. "Junko, the girl you crossed path with, is my younger sister. From what she told me, Makoto's made sexual advancements towards her years ago. Or was it just harassment? I don't remember."

"T-Then why are they still friends?" Komaru _staggered_ back.

"Beats me, Junko was mortified at first but she could have been shy and gave in later. She usually talks a big game but has limited experience with men, and she's a masochist. It would explain why she was so _excited_ to meet Makoto again." Mukuro shrugged. Her lips formed an almost undetectable smirk.

Komaru froze in place, shaking her head as if to reject everything she just heard. "Thanks…I'll be going now."

The younger Naegi left in a daze, having forgotten what it was she originally came for.

"Cute thing." Mukuro said once the coast was clear. There is a saying out that time changes everything. Mukuro Ikusaba was certainly no exception to the rule, and a late bloomer of maturity. The awkward girl devoid of personality was gone, and…well, one doesn't spend years with Junko Enoshima and retain favor for the mundane. That isn't to say Mukuro was anything like her sister, _heavens_ no. But she did see a joy to be found in teasing others a bit. Much like she did right now with the disillusioned Naegi sibling via twisting the truth a tad.

Unfortunately, she hadn't grown out of her role of being her sister's baby-sitter. As instructed, Mukuro had entered the hospital room as Junko's metaphorical shadow and Makoto hadn't noticed her. The Ultimate Soldier's skills had only improved with the increased flexibility of her mindset. Doubly unfortunate however, was that she _also_ had to witness Junko molesting the poor boy.

_Gross_

At the very least, Mukuro spoke the absolute truth when she said Junko didn't know how to deal with men.

Seeing as she had no further business here, Mukuro thought she might as well leave. However, she did not move towards the elevator or the stairs. Instead she entered another patient's room. If she remembered right, this was on one of the upper floors of the building.

"What are you doing?" One of the patients said to her. She didn't spare them a single glance or take note of their bewilderment. Instead Mukuro simply opened the window and jumped out of it.

Feeling the wind's caress, Mukuro thought about the other reason she'd confessed that partial truth to Komaru Naegi. Thinking back on the _devastated_ expression on Junko's face when she came home that night never failed to make Mukuro smile. It was a shame nothing could replicate that moment…so the least Mukuro could do as a doting older sister was share Junko's one moment of weakness with the world. A masochist like Junko should appreciate that...and if she doesn't, all the better.

Well now…maybe Mukuro was hitting her rebellious phase at last.

* * *

"You ditched the pig-tails." He half-yelled, hoping his voice would carry over the noise of the speeding convertible. Leave it to Junko to be the type to drive in luxury.

"Like I'd be caught dead with that hairstyle at my age, it's embarrassing knowing you even remember it!" She whined playfully, urging him to wipe out his memory of her previous appearance clean. When he refused, she stepped on the pedal. The car's increased speed nearly gave him a heart attack.

Upon reaching their destination, he wobble out of the car and worshiped the ground. She had driven by at least 3 red lights and passed the speed limit by at least twice the recommended amount. How were they still alive?

"You alive down there?" Junko mocked. He had a half a mind to walk back to the hospital if he didn't also know she'd never let him escape.

"What are we doing here anyway?" This area of the city was unfamiliar.

"Girl's night."

"I'm a man."

"Guy or girl, it's all the same to me and _this_ girl isn't picky." She puffed her chest proudly. "And I wasn't kidding about what I told you in the hospital. We're going everywhere in town."

She's exaggerating. What she means to say is

"You don't have a clue and are just going with the flow, huh?" He clarified.

"You know me soooo well." She said cutely. Junko hadn't changed a bit, her greatest enemy was and will always be boredom and predictability. And there's nothing more predictable than a structured activity.

"Say, Makoto. How old are you now?"

"20." Though his birthday wasn't far off. Junko whistled at the number.

"The big two-zero, huh? What'd you do to celebrate?" She asked, while obnoxiously circling around him.

"You mean my birthday? That was a while ago but I celebrated with my fami-"

"Stop right there!" Junko silenced him. "I knew it. I knew it. I knew it! Uwaaah, It's worse than I thought. Mikan and the other idiots have totally forgotten the most important detail as usual."

"What did they forget? I'm doing ok if I say so myself." He expressed no fondness at hearing Junko insult his friends.

"You _would_ think that when you literally don't know any better." Frustration crossed Junko features for a moment. The next, she cupped Makoto's face and perked his chin up with a fake nail. Balancing the accessory just enough where it wouldn't puncture the flesh. "You've shed the baby-face look and your features are more defined too, however you're still a child on the inside. But that's why I'm here, leave everything to big sis Junko."

That worried him more than everything else. If Junko partying _remotely_ resembled Junko driving then he would need to watch her every move. Not unless he wants to wake up to both of them being held in a jail cell the next morning.

You prepped for this, Makoto. Stay vigilant and most of all _don't get caught up in her pace_.

* * *

"Hahahahaha" _He giggled_. It had only taken mere minutes for his worries to melt away after…whatever substance it was Junko gave him, he couldn't remember too clearly. After that was a cacophony of new experiences. Junko had taken him from bars to clubs to attractions and even a tattoo parlor. The final one alone had taken several hours, he'd even had his eyelash beneath his right eye accentuated.

Now he was lying shirtless on a hotel bed. He exuded too much heat…but he had fun. He couldn't remember the last time he felt this kind of excitement

"Do I keep my promises or what?" Junko stepped into the room wearing nothing but a robe.

"You win." The unhinged Makoto said with a goofy grin on his face. If Junko was privy to these encounters mundanely then no wonder she was the long-time focus of his envy.

The fashionista crawled onto the bed and sat on his stomach.

"It's not over juuust yet. There's still one…no, maybe three more things I need to deal with." Her eyes scanned over him before landing on the tattoo.

"I still think you should have gotten one on your butt."

"You'd need to have drugged me a lot more to get my consent on that." He wasn't _that_ far gone.

"I could have, you know. But then where's the fun in not giving you a fighting chance?" She grinned. "But about those priorities. I'll need you available in…2 days, real important business."

"Sure." He didn't know why he was agreeing so easily, probably the alcohol that hadn't left his system. Then again… "Maybe not. I have practice with-"

"Hina? Yeah, I got her to cancel." Junko said

"You two know each other?" He asked. Junko referred to Hina as a classmate from Hope's Peak. Makoto's world was becoming smaller and smaller. Most of his present acquaintances originated from the same class. That…couldn't have been a coincidence.

"I guess what they say about HPA graduates being set for life is true. Just about all the ones I know are either successful or were to begin with." Even Hina possessed a fair amount of wealth. Back when they'd first met, she'd bought him a bunch of expensive clothing and equipment but acted like it was all chump change not to be bothered with.

A malicious grin made its way onto Junko's features. "Yeah, Hina is pretty well off. Those are the perks of working at a large scale detective firm."

That smile couldn't physically get wider if she tried.

"Hey, did you know that Hina got that job because she's friends with the boss? _Best friends_, I'd even say." She intentionally delayed the punch-line. Junko had been looking for the perfect opening since the evening to bring this up, so why not reap the rewards now?

"_Oh, and that friend's Kyoko, by the way._" Now let's see some of that despair, pretty boy!

"...I know." Was his reply.

"Of course you did-Hold the fuck up, what? What do you mean _'I know'_?" She poorly imitated his voice.

…

That was _not_ the reaction she anticipated. It didn't even make _sense_.

"Well, you know Sayaka Maizono right?"

"Yeah, what about her?" Junko frowned. _What kind of loser brings up another girl's name in a position like this_ \- Were the thoughts of the person who started it.

"I met her a little while before I fell into a coma so it's one of the memories I remember clearly. I told Sayaka about Kyoko, she got overexcited…kind of let Hina's name slip. I figured they were all pretty close. Though I only realized 'Hina' was the person in question after she gave me her nickname. "

"Sayaka, you undermining slut!" Junko roared with raw indignation.

Makoto smirked at the girl above him "You've been waiting all night to spring this on me, haven't you?"

"Yes! That was supposed to be my real climax, you blue-balling asshole!" She stated the double-entendre.

"I don't know how to feel about that, but if it makes you unhappy, I'm good." He said boldly. Now, what a strange relationship this was. Contrary to their current position; Makoto recognized that he and Junko weren't friends. They didn't hate each other, far from it. That was also not to say that they _liked_ one another either. Makoto didn't really know what to make of Junko but she had traits he admired. She also had traits he loathed. Such as her tendency to inflict pain on the ones she cared about; she loved others but she loved to hurt them nearly as much.

On the other hand, the only people Junko truly loved were her talented classmates. Makoto was an interesting pet by comparison. He was aware that she hated a number of his attributes, but he hadn't a clue what about him interested her. At the very least, that 'something' had to exist; else she wouldn't bother with him in the first place.

As if growing bored of anger, Junko switched to calm contemplation. "If you knew Hina was that close to Kyoko, why haven't the two of you reunited? I know for a fact you lovebirds…sorry, _ex-lovebirds_, haven't met since you woke up a year ago." She'd missed her mark but Junko didn't pass up a chance to pettily bore into his wounds.

"Do I have to answer that?"

"Well now. That's up to you." Junko slid her nail up from Makoto's chest towards his neck. This time, she twisted the nail ever so slightly that it drew blood. The former joviality the fashionista exuded may as well have never existed.

"See, Kyoko's a special friend of mine. I don't come by friends easily so I try to take care of them in my own way. And if someone (other than myself) tries to hurt them then what am I to do?" Makoto recognized the threat of the nail inching ever so closely to his jugular.

"It took Kyoko quite a while to get over you, and let me be frank that she _is_ over you. But you're a man now…so why not act like one and take responsibility for the pain you've caused?"

"I'm doing exactly that."

Junko flinched slightly at the cold stare she received. "How is doing nothing taking responsibility?"

"…I've known Hina for a year, and I'm sure you've known her longer. Tell me, do you think she's good at keeping secrets?"

"Definitely not." I certainly wouldn't trust her with one "Why?"

"Remember, I only inferred Hina and Kyoko were friends…meaning she never _told_ me. I might be a little presumptuous but isn't a bit weird that she wouldn't have tried to introduce us."

"Maybe she doesn't realize the connection?"

"Hina introduced me to Sakura relatively quickly, yet she's never uttered Kyoko's name _once_, even though we meet weekly."

"In other words, you mean to say Kyoko already knows that you and Hina are friends but has no intention of meeting you?" Junko felt that was a logical conclusion. Hina cares more for Kyoko than Makoto, she probably went to the detective first to arrange a meeting. If Junko knows how the detective thinks, the lavender haired girl would have shot those dreams down in an instant.

"And you said it yourself, Kyoko's already moved on. What's the point in pouring salt over wounds?"

"These wounds are closed."

"You know what I mean. What would I even say to her? She might have improved but I'm still a mess."

"That's stupid."

"Yup."

But it wasn't something she could laugh at…nor was this the sort of negativity that bred the despair Junko craved. Resignation and self-deprecation were disappointing…and boring. Was he always a defeatist? Junko's memory was flawless and she distinctly recalled him burning with far more resolve right before he fell into a coma. To begin with, it took _balls _to go with what was practically a suicidal operation. The only person who genuinely believed Makoto would survive was…_oh_..._Upupu_. She was going about it in the wrong order. How do you challenge stage two without getting passed stage one? That was one of the things she liked about him – few others have managed to trip her up so consistently.

"Alright, I'll let you off for now. Lucky you, huh?" She grinned.

Makoto's eyes narrowed in suspicion. That was too easy.

"Speaking of luck, I've been dying for an anecdote on your unlucky escapades. Your stories were like life support back in high school and I _know_ you must have built up a ton more since we last saw each other."

"I don't really have any." Makoto blinked slowly, as if an unnatural occurrence reared its head.

"Really? I find that hard to believe. Not even a tale of you tripping down a staircase or two?"

"No..." He hadn't really thought about it, but he hadn't come across _any_ of the misfortune that defined Makoto Naegi since he woke up. If anything, the life he'd been living was too good for him.

"How strange. Did your bad luck fly away…or, maybe someone made it go away." Junko expressed a feral grin

"Now _that's_ stupid."

"Yeah, you're right. I mean, to even do that, you'd need to be able to control luck in the first place, and _nobody_ can do that."

Makoto's eyes widened as he understood the direction this conversation was heading.

"At the very least, nobody we knew, right?"

"…Stop."

"I didn't take you for someone so cruel, Ma-Ko-To. The least you could do is visit him sometime."

"_Stop_." He repeated with more force in his tone.

"Poor Nagito must be so lonely…with nobody giving enough of a shit about him." In that moment, Makoto flipped their positions and held Junko down onto the bed by her wrists.

The fashionista squealed. Not out of fear for the sudden action but in delight of her victory. Kyoko wasn't the problem; his refusal to see her was the _consequence_. The gatekeeper was dear old Nagito, who proved to entertain her years after his demise.

"_Shut up."_ Makoto snarled.

"Oh? Kyoko's free game but Nagito's where we draw the line? That's _hilarious_; I bet he'd be ecstatic to hear that." She wasn't going to stop. "…If he wasn't dead that is."

Makoto let out a breathless sigh. "There is something deeply wrong with you."

"Yup, but you're just as bad." She countered

"…I know." He released Junko and turned away from her, sitting on the edges of the bed. He'd long sobered up by now.

"Schadenfreude withstanding, why _don't_ you go see the grave one of these days? You really hated him, last I remember."

"Shouldn't my dislike be all the more reason why I don't?"

"True." She said merrily, as if he'd walked into a verbal trap. Which he probably had. "Let me rephrase that; _you really liked him_."

"…Yeah."

"Not going to deny it? You're full of surprises today."

"I'd be an idiot to." He wouldn't have agonized over hiss death otherwise. He was a horrible person.

"Junko…what should I do?"

The blond approached his back an wrapped her arms around him.

"If you want to be forgiven, then there are only two people in the world who could have. One of them obviously can't while the other won't, for reasons I don't really get. I don't need to mention who they are."

They were Komaeda…and himself.

"To begin with, it's not a matter of whether you can or can't forgive yourself. Anyone _can_ do that, the ones with a conscience simply choose not to. If you believe you _can't_, then that's only because feel you've done nothing to earn it. If you actually want to get out of Nagito's shadow then do something other than whining about it."

…

"I feel like we've had this conversation before." He let out a hollow laugh.

"We have but you're slow. I have no idea why a talent freak like Komaeda liked you so much."

"What do you mean?" Makoto blinked

"Then again who knows if I'm just full of shit. You get on my nerves so I might just be saying the wrong things out of spite. Upupupu." She let go of him and plopped back onto the bed.

Makoto, as tired as he was, did the same. "Junko…there is one unlucky story I've got left."

"What's that?"

"That I was unfortunate enough to see your face again." He said, flippantly

"You always know just what to say to a girl." The model derisively rolled her eyes

"The night's still young...for me anyway. Want to keep going?"

* * *

"W-Where are you taking me?" Makoto directed that question to Junko, who had brought him to an unknown location.

"I'm helping." She said vaguely.

"Oh no. The last time you _helped_, I got in deep shit with Mikan." Makoto had only managed to return to the hospital when he woke up the next afternoon, and his doctor was NOT pleased. He had never seen Mikan that mad.

"Hm, did she give you the deadfish eyes and creepy smile?"

"When she saw my tattoo, _yes_." Why the hell did he get one?

"RIP. You'll have to beg like a dog to get back in her good graces. Serves you right though."

"How?"

"Mikan only got more assertive because of your dumb ass. I can't even mess with her like the way I used to. Can you even _imagine_ what it's like to lose a bitch that submissive?"

"Don't call her that."

"Atta boy, keep sticking up for Mikan like that and she'll love you again in no time." She slapped him on the back.

"Where'd you bring me to anyway? People are staring." He'd noticed that ever since he walked inside the building, though the stares were mostly directed at her. There were also cameras everywhere.

"Is this your workplace?" He theorized

"Yup, and it'll be yours too soon; you'll be modeling with me." Junko said.

"...Where is this coming from?"

"I told you, _I'm helping_. Modeling gigs do wonders for your self-esteem, Makkie." Makoto traced her intentions back to their conversation the previous night. It may not have been such a bad idea. Junko was the picture of over bloated self confidence and if being a model had anything to do with that, then he could only gain. Why the hell not?

"I guess I can give it a try."

"…That's it? No cliché tomato face or 'I don't want anyone to see me naked'?" She said in a high-pitched voice. Not that all models did that but she was going to make him whether he liked it or not.

"I can't say I'm not uncomfortable with the idea." He scratched his hair. Although, his anxiety originated more from entering unknown territory.

"Your awareness is almost friggin zero. Mikan screwed up big time." Junko groaned. Seeing that the conversation was headed nowhere, she led him backstage of the building where they happened upon a stern-looking woman clad in a business suit.

"Makoto, meet Ikue Dogami. My manager. " Junko introduced her.

"Good afternoon, Junko." She greeted the fashionista half-heartedly and then turned towards Makoto. "I trust this is your recommendation. Makoto Naegi, was it?"

"Yup, cute isn't he?" She pinched his cheeks.

"Quit it." He said.

"Would you mind taking off your shirt?" She requested with professionality that was expected of her position. Makoto acquiesced.

"Better than I thought…unfortunately, not good enough." The manager decided.

_Ouch_

"I thought he'd be a dead-ringer." Junko whistled.

"Your recommendations usually are, but this one falls just short of the standard. His figure might gain him a niche fan base, I'm afraid that's not what's popular right now."

The bespectacled manager stared at Junko, pensively, not unlike an audience anticipating the punch line to a joke. Makoto understood the feeling.

"I suppose we might have an opening on one of the lower levels. How does 10000 yen a photo shoot sound?"

Was that a lot?

"Nuh uh. Makoto isn't some donkey for you to throw chump change at." Junko replied.

Guess not.

"And you paid me 100 000 yen an hour." The blonde continued.

"You can't seriously be comparing yourself to him…this is a roundabout way of complimenting yourself, isn't it?" Ikue frowned. Makoto felt a pang of pity for the manager, because he'd come to the same conclusion.

"Guilty as charged, but trust me. Makoto's _easily_ worth that much."

"No can do. Your case came around once every 2 years - I'd lose my job if I hired him on that wage."

"Gotcha. Sorry for taking your time, Ikue." With nothing more to say, Junko strutted out of the building with Makoto in tow.

"This was supposed to boost my self-confidence? I got told I'm subpar." He muttered

"Compared to the people who walk in here every day and while they're boring as shit? It's _literally _their job to be attractive." Junko air-quoted. "But that's about what I was expecting. Onto phase 2."

"Phase two?"

"_Makoto_, haven't you learned by now? Junko Enoshima always gets what she wants."

* * *

He hadn't seen Junko in over a week since that time.

He'd wondered if she'd finally given up and lost interest and given up on him. T'was a false hope that was crushed when she texted him early in the morning, telling him to meet her by a café near Hope's Peak. It was well within walking distance for once, and he was deeply grateful for a chance to be spared Junko's driving.

Junko had also noted a designated time for him to show up and a seat as well. Unless his memory was failing him, there had been a scenario similar to this one in the past and someone else had shown up in her stead. And this time was no different, for when Makoto drew near the seat, he came across familiar strands of blue hair. She'd gotten rid of the clippings and in exchange, braided a lock of hair onto one side. Her attire was fit for a celebrity who stood out amongst the crowd. She was adorned in a white, hip-length fur coat, grey thigh highs along with a matching black blazer and skirt. The thin framed rectangular glasses she wore also accentuated her adult charm.

Her blue eyes widened after locking him into her sights.

"Sayaka." He greeted calmly as he approached the table.

"**It's been a long time, Makoto.**" Sayaka said in plain English. Without his studies, he might not have understood her. The ex-idol stood and wrapped him into a hug. They stayed like that for a few moments before separating.

"Hm. You were a bit hesitant there. You don't like hugs?" She asked.

"Not quite. The last time was with Junko and she…"

"Groped you like a creep on a subway?"

"That's about right. Still psychic?" He joked.

"Nope, I haven't used that lame joke in years. Junko told me and I have to say, it sounded fun enough that I almost wanted to give it a try myself" She giggled.

"Please don't." He deadpanned.

"Too bad, I'm surprised you'd feel awkward from a _woman's_ touch at your age." Sayaka teased.

"It didn't bother me _that_ much; a few of the girls I know do that all the time." Unfortunately, her innuendo was completely lost on the man.

Sayaka observed him silently for a few moments, waiting to see if there was a follow-up on what she could only have assumed was a joke. When none came, she shook her head.

"I'm definitely misunderstanding something here…or maybe not. It's been years since we saw each other; a lot could change a person in that time. And If the outside is any indication, you've changed considerably and for the better I'd say." She winked.

"Thanks." He scratched his cheeks.

"What's with the eyelash? A fashion statement?" She said.

"Does it look funny?"

"A bit feminine, it suits you." She smiled.

"I don't have an opinion on being called feminine but it's better than the tattoo I go."

Sayaka coughed "A tat? _You? _Ok, we definitely need to catch up."

And so they traded stories of the past. Makoto heard the bluenette had lost her title as the nation's premier idol not long after graduating Hope's Peak.

"The audience moved onto the next big fad and we were old news, more or less. Me and the girls split up in no time." Sayaka sounded like she still had regrets.

"Sorry to hear that. It must have been awful."

"It was, but completely expected. An idol's lifespan is woefully short and we were lucky to last as long as we did. It was tough for a while but I've moved on now."

"To?"

"Oh, you haven't heard? **I'm an actress now**." She revealed.

"Really?" His eyes widened,

"…I don't mean to sound self-important here but I've starred in a lot of movies and I'm probably more a lot more famous now than I was as an idol. How didn't you know?" She said, confused.

"The hospital doesn't have any TVs so I just amuse myself with whatever I can find. Usually, Toko and Komaru educate me on what I've missed in school or I hang out with Hina. I…sound like a total shut-in." He pouted.

"Not so much a shut-in and more like you're just a little out of touch…**Junko's correct as ever**." Sayaka muttered the last bit under her breath.

"Did you say something?" He asked, he hadn't understood that part, but he might have heard Junko's name.

"Nobody worth mentioning. More importantly, acting is more or less the reason why it's taken me so long to see you. Truth be told, I got a call from Komaru a bit after you woke up but with my schedule, I'm always on the other side of the planet. I'm only here because I recently had an opening for the first time since I can remember. Forgive me." She bowed her head.

"I-It's no big deal." He stumbled, taken aback by the apology. "Your job sounds rough but… you get to travel?"

"It depends on the set and who's directing. I'm in demand right now so I haven't got much choice. Why do you ask? Are you interested in acting?"

"I don't know about that, but traveling sounds like a dream." He'd been cooped up here for far too longer, outside of the city's borders were like another dimension to him, not to speak of international waters.

"Hm? Maybe I'll take you with me some time."

"I wonder if you'd have time for that at all. Come to think of it, why'd you show up now of all times? I'm guessing Junko called you?" Why else would she be where he was meant to meet the model?

"Funny you say that. A few weeks ago, I got a call from Junko asking if I was free to drop by here with her. Of course, that was impossible at the time…but wouldn't you know it, a movie I'd been working was suddenly canceled mid-way and I was never given a reason. Then Junko called me again and now I'm here." She said ominously.

"I get the feeling I've done something very wrong." Makoto froze, perplexed at the information he received.

"No way, how could you?" Sayaka mocked his reaction. "To be honest, I hated my role and I was reimbursed anyway, so I'm thankful for this…strange coincidence. **Now I'm on a well-deserved vacation**."

"What was that?"

"We can hang out more." She answered. They conversed until a familiar name came up again.

"Makoto, have you met Kyoko at all since you woke up?"

"Not once." He frowned

"Why?"

He scratched his head, unable to think of an answer that would satisfy either of them.

"Hm…I guess you have your reasons, but you mentioned Hina right? Aoi Asahina? If so, they're pretty close friends. You might just cross each other one day." Sayaka advised.

"I'll keep that in mind." He said, intending to cut the topic short…but then realized that Sayaka may have been the only one who (thankfully) wasn't Junko that he could discuss it with.

"Um…how exactly was Kyoko? Back in school, I mean." He asked, bashfully.

Sayaka sat in silence, deliberating how to convey her perceptions without saying anything unnecessary or hurtful.

"She didn't take your disappearance all that well, none of us did. But she still had hope for a while." Sayaka reminisced. And just like with Junko's retelling of events, Makoto noticed the 'past-tense' included.

"She was hurt a lot even if she tried not to show it. Everything worked out in the end though, thanks to help of a really unexpected guy."

Makoto's thought pensively "A guy? Was he her boyfriend?"

Sayaka stared at him wide-eyed, then slowly and surely convulsed with laughter "No…_just no. _Those two dating?Are you trying to kill me?"

"I don't get it." He pouted

"D-Don't worry about it. Those two could never have that kind of relationship. Togami's too much of an jerk." Sayaka slowly recovered her composure. "Although, I hate to be the bearer of bad news…you shouldn't get your hopes up. Kyoko's had other flings since then."

"Flings?" He asked.

"Right, you wouldn't understand the term. I mean other dates, boyfriends and such."

"Oh, that's great." He smiled.

"You don't have to force yourself. I know that can't be easy to hear." Sayaka tipped her glasses a bit. She didn't think that was the sort of reaction one would give to learning their crush had been with other guys.

"I'm not. I didn't doubt for a second that Kyoko would excel in life with or without me. She's strong." He confessed.

"…You're a one-of-a-kind guy." Makoto's candidness astounded her.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked.

"It's a compliment." She giggled.

That's when a light flash came into view. Makoto's head snapped to see a camera pointed at them.

"What the heck?" He rubbed his eyes.

"Don't mind them, **it's part of the plan**." She dismissed the interruption.

"Please stop switching between languages, you're making me self-conscious." He whined.

"It's probably a paparazzi. Don't let it bother you."

He listened to Sayaka and paid the disturbance no further mind. The teasing aside, they had a good time. For once, one of Junko's plots didn't have any negative repercussions. In time, he'd bid the actress farewell.

Watching Makoto leave the café, Sayaka motioned to her phone just as it rang.

"That was quick. Were you watching, Junko?"

_"Haa? Don't kid around, I'd hang myself before stalking you dorks. I had Mukuro do it for me." _Junko said on the other end.

Sayaka blinked and looked around the cafe. She caught sight of the ex-soldier staring at her from afar and smiling apologetically. They waved to each other.

"You're the worst. But you're also right, he's socially stunted; is he going to be fine this way?"

_"Fuck no, that's what we're here for. I trust everything went according to plan?"_

"Didn't Mukuro tell you?" Sayaka squinted

_"Like I trust that bitch. She's been getting uppity lately."_

"I say again, you're the worst. And yes, we were seen…but why though? Catching up with Makoto was great again but I don't see how he's going to benefit from having his privacy invaded."

_"I'm trying to get him a modeling gig."_

"…Pfft-ahahaha." That sounds ridiculous. "Okay, I'll play along. If he doesn't like though, I'll stop immediately. That fair?"

_"Fair."_

"I'm surprised though. Why are you going this far for Makoto, of all people?"

_"Out of the goodness of my heart."_

"**Oh? You finally found it? Your heart I mean.**"

_"__**Two can play at that game, slut.**__"_

Sayaka clicked her tongue

_"Anyway. It is OoC for me…albeit for good reason since I'm following through with a bet I made with someone."_

"Who?"

"Nobody worth mentioning. He died years ago."

* * *

With the passing of the New Year, Makoto's life started began to take a strange turn. He constantly felt like he was being watched wherever he went. At first Makoto thought he was self-conscious but he'd soon caught random strangers glancing his way. This happened not once or twice, but multiple times. Then one day, Komaru stormed into his room, and in her own words, demanded to know: "Are you really dating Sayaka Maizono?"

Makoto shot the notion down immediately. His feelings didn't incline towards the actress or anyone at the moment. Komaru handed him a tabloid newspaper, with the header occupied by a picture of him and Sayaka at the café. Suddenly, all the strange attention he'd received recently clicked. It was the kind of irresponsible fad that he couldn't care to involve himself with any further than he already had been.

Fate had other plans however, for Junko and Sayaka paid him a visit later. The former as giddy as a rambunctious child opening their presents before Christmas day and the other, the poor accomplice forced to play along. Junko drew his attention to her cell phone, twirling it in hand, as if it was of import.

A moment later, she picked up a call and placed it on speaker. The fashionista signed that the other two should keep quiet. Makoto looked towards Sayaka for an explanation but the bluenette only smiled apologetically.

"Fashion police Junko speaking."

_"This is Ikue. You remember the applicant from the other day?"_

"Makoto? Why do you ask?" She played the fool.

_"Would you be able to arrange a meeting?"_

"If I remember right, you said he didn't meet your standards. Why the change of heart?...It couldn't have anything to do with a potential boom in popularity thanks to a prissy, stuck up, blue-haired wannabe princess, would it?"

Sayaka glared at her.

_"Enough games, Junko. How much would he accept?"_

"300 000 yen per hour."

Makoto's eyes widened and caught himself before coughing out loud. That sum was outrageous.

_"D-Don't be ridiculous. 70 000 is my offer."_

"You asked, babe. My Makoto isn't settling for cheap."

He was_nobody's_ Makoto. How can she lie through her teeth like this?

_"100 000."_

_"_Tempting…but not enough I think. Just imagine what would happen if bosses learned you let a catch like this slip through your fingers…"

_"Why are you screwing me out of a deal, Junko?"_ The voice on the other line was reaching her limit. Makoto felt bad for her.

"Because I'm his manager (lie) and my boy needs the best affordable."

_"I'm __**your**__ manager!"_

"And I love ya for it, Iku."

_"….*sigh* 150 000."_

"Deal, I'll tell him all about it." Junko ended the call.

No more than a minute passed before they all devolved into fits of laughter.

"**You're horrible**." Sayaka berated

"I'm getting that a lot nowadays, where's my appreciation?" Junko frowned before shifting back into a playful smirk.

"I don't get it though. What's going on?"

"Ever heard of haggling, Makoto?" Sayaka asked.

He shook his head. It was an unfamiliar term and his vocabulary was frighteningly limited for his age.

"It's when you have a dealer and a buyer. The dealer has an undisclosed amount of profit to gain from the transaction that the buyer is unaware of, while the latter wants the cheapest price. That leads the dealer to increasing the price significantly above whatever the object of interest is worth to trick the buyer after a string of compromises and bargains. At the end of these interactions, the dealer lowers the price substantially but still gets exactly what he wanted, while the buyer is none the wiser." Sayaka explained

"Ikue messed up. I gave her a chance to hire you at a reasonable price but, too bad. I planned to have Sayaka be my trump card from the start. Now she's going to get an earful from the bosses. Serves her right." Junko laughed.

"…Business is scary." Makoto could only say.

"All you need to know is that I got you a good deal. Just stick with me and you're going to go far, kid." Junko recited a line that sounded straight out of a movie.

"And you're okay with these rumors." Makoto asked Sayaka.

"They're relatively harmless and I thought you could use the help. You _do_ want to see Kyoko again, don't you?"

"What's she have to do with this?" He inquired.

Junko sighed "Makoto _please. _Kyoko is _way_ out of your league. Well, she always was but now it's like, the size difference between Chihiro and ."

"What's a Chihiro?"

Sayaka rolled her eyes. "What Junko means to say is that Kyoko's a bit of a workaholic, a perfectionist to boot and if you thought she had a cold exterior before then she's _glacial_ now. You'd need to have either had a positive relationship with her before or be accomplished enough to _now_. Anything less and you'll get brushed off on the spot. In your case, she might do it out of spite."

Junko nodded in agreement

In other words, he wasn't exactly in the best position to talk to her as things currently stood.

"And modeling can be good for confidence. From what Junko told me about that wild night you guys had, you need the self-esteem boost anyway."

"…You told her?" He faced Junko, whose expression betrayed not a hint of shame.

"Yes."

"How much?"

"Everything."

"How much is everything?"

"E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G." Sayaka answered this time. Makoto fearfully met her eyes.

"Sounds like you gave me the abridge version, Makoto so Junko was kind enough to fill me in on every last detail. My, I thought you changed when we met and this proves it. I didn't know you were…quite the animal." She smirked

"This…doesn't leave the room." Makoto's cheeks blazed red.

"No promises." The vixens said simultaneously.

* * *

The seasons changed again and so did he. Gone were the days were he placed the bare minimum of attention into his appearance. Makoto's occupation demanded he be presentable in every outing and he worked tirelessly to live by that creed. The transition was difficult, he didn't know the first thing about being a model and as a result, he was forced to alter much of his old habits. Junko put it an extraordinary amount of time tutoring him about the dos and donts all but held his hand through the initial photo shoots. Sayaka helped pick out clothing and a style that suited him; ultimately, the 'hoodie' look came naturally to him. Although, he often accentuated the style with ear piercings, rings, a bracelet and a scarf. In addition, he did something he'd never done before – actually combing his hair, which made it softer now and even his crooked antennae was somewhat more aligned.

The rumors of his relationship with Sayaka were never ironed-out but that's because he never openly addressed them. In fact, Makoto's managers advised he shouldn't for that unverifiable attainability was the crux of his image – Makoto was handsome , however he tip-toed an ambiguous line where he was and wasn't within reach of the common person.

In concordance with his lifestyle changes, two major events occurred afterwards.

First, he was finally discharged from the hospital. He wasn't certain why he stayed as long as he did but he knew he wouldn't benefit from remaining there any longer. The hospital, bleak as it was, had been home for the better part of a decade. It wasn't easy leaving the friends he'd made behind. That said, he didn't go live with his family either. Instead Makoto chose to rent out an apartment in the city. His earnings were enough that he didn't know what to spend most of it on. Was that a sign of success? He couldn't answer that.

The second event was a result of the first and something Makoto never saw coming; Jin Kirigiri had invited Makoto to his office. This was the first time he'd stepped foot into the halls of HPA as he had never been a student there…or so he thought. The headmaster's intent had been to award him a certificate as a graduate of the academy.

_"It's fair to be surprised. This is the first time I've ever simultaneously approved an admission and graduation of a student before." The headmaster said_

_"W-Why?"_

_"Makoto, this school is founded on a pursuit and acknowledgement of talent. You were originally selected as our Ultimate Lucky Student, a position I am personally invested in."_

_"Wasn't that admission rejected?"_

_"Yes, because your accident muddled the matter. One can't hold the title of Luck and then fall victim to misfortune at such a crucial period. The steering committee intended to let the matter end there… however, I decided to hold an experiment of sorts. As I'm sure you know, we have a Lucky student every single year and that is a privilege not given to any other of our talent categories - We did not include one in Class 78 and left the total number of students at 15."_

_"You mean…"_

_"Yes. You were a pending member of that class. The requirement of a full transition was the success of your operation. The chance of you surviving your previous illness was, to be frank, painfully low. So low, that no sane man could place faith in it and the skill of even our medical staff would not have created a miracle."_

_Makoto understood the flow of the conversation "Then, since I lived…I was accepted."_

_"Indeed, you won against all odds therefore you are The Ultimate Lucky Student of Class 78. I apologize for the smoke and mirrors but this was not exactly something we could tell you at the time. Were we to have told you of the observation, it might have influenced an action leading to a permanent coma. The school can't be held responsible for such a tragedy. "_

_Makoto nodded grimly. A thought sprung to mind "I have two questions."_

_"Understood."_

_"Did Mikan have anything to do with this?"_

_"You're sharp. Miss. Tsumiki has been recording your actions and development over the course of your stay in the hospital." _

_"Why did you wait?"_

_"Excuse me?" Jin was non-plussed._

_"If the test was whether I survived the operation. Why didn't I fail immediately? I might have never woken up." That was the one thing that stuck out as odd._

_"Ah, that. Your skepticism is understandable, the committee is shrewd you see and would want to move on as fast as possible. However, we were given a guarantee that you would wake up in three years time."_

_"What?"_

_"I'm sure you find it hard to believe, but that's the truth. Someone with enough sway forecasted that the conclusion of the experiment be determined 3 years after you fell into a coma. Stranger still...this was before the operation."_

_"Were they psychic?" I wasn't impossible for a talent like that to exist but Jin mocked the thought._

_"No. Our psychic was only 1/3 reliable. This person was merely got lucky."_

_"…"_

_"Surely, you must understand that a guess without backing wouldn't sway the committee but a lucky guess from him wasn't one to dismiss. After all, the proposition was made by Nagito Komaeda."_

_..._

He couldn't wrap his around it. Thinking back on it now, the fragments of memory he could recall involving Komaeda were contradictory. Everything the true lucky student had done past a certain point into that final year was a mystery.

Komaeda had professed hating him, Makoto remembered that much. Contradicting that, were Junko and Mikan's observations.

Mikan could have been mistaken, and she said she weren't all that close to Komaeda…Then again, wouldn't she be in a better position to judge what Komaeda thought of him _because_ he (supposedly) thought little of her?

In Junko's case…he'd be better off taking whatever she says with a grain of salt. If she was telling the truth, then she was probably right, but it was much easier to believe she was lying.

Neither of these anecdotes held up to Komaeda himself honestly claiming to hate him. He'd have no reason to lie about that. But then, wouldn't the possibility of reasoning necessitate Makoto understood Komaeda's train of thought in the first place? That inability to comprehend the albino was the problem from the start.

Did he hate me? Did he like me?

If the former, then why did he always stick by me and why did he tell the school to wait for me to wake up? How would he even have _known_ I'd wake up? Komaeda knew what kind of bad luck I had, where did the confidence come from and more importantly, how did he get it right?

If it was the latter…then why lie about it?

One possibility split into different riddles that he lacked the information necessary to solve. The other yielded only one but was impossible for me to solve.

Talk about frustrating. Everything about that guy gives me a headache.

He clawed at his hair.

"Whoa, someone's pissed. I'm not that late, am I?" Hina nudged his shoulder.

"I was thinking about an old acquaintance. Been a while, Hina." He'd arranged to meet her for a run around the track. He needed an outlet to clear his thoughts and he hadn't seen the swimmer in some time.

"Sure has. I was beginning to think you'd forgot about me after becoming famous."

"I don't think I'm famous. And if I was, I'd owe it all to your training."

"Hey, that's true! You owe _everything_ to me, so pay up." It was nice to see Iina was as jubilant as ever.

"We'll see, assuming you can beat me in a race." He'd take her up on it.

"No way, you're challenging _me_?" She lauged.

"Scared the student's surpassed the master?"

"More like I'll drain your wallet. You better be ready to pay for a life-time supply of donuts." Hina said, confidently.

...

…As to be expected, he lost splendidly. The athlete managed to even circle him before he reached his 3rd lap. That she lap'd him only once however, was proof of his improvement.

"Not bad for a warm-up." She said.

"Warm-up…no sorry, I'm done." Forget what he said, he could never keep up with this sports-junkie.

"Already? We need to make up for lost time because of you, remember?"

"Not true. You've gone awol as much as I have."

"Ugh, don't remind me. Kyoko's been running me like a dog lately – She gives me a death glare if the paperwork isn't perfect to the letter. You know how she is; never considering anyone else." Hina groaned.

"Yeah, uncompromising is her defining quality." The luckster laughed, reminded of the past…and then...stopped. Wasn't there something off here?

He faced Hina who smiled with her eyes closed.

"Hina..what was-"

"Makoto, stay put right there." She cut him off, cracking her knuckles while walking slowly towards him.

What was she planning to-WOAH! He narrowly dodged a punch aiming for his face.

"Why'd you move!?" She yelled angrily.

"Y-You were going to hit me. Why!?" He yelled back, and distanced himself.

"You know why." The tanned girl said, jumping up and down, similar to the form of a boxer.

Makoto gaped after recalling their conversation a second ago. Hina blurted Kyoko's name out of the blue as if it were naturally discussed between them, only she'd never mentioned Kyoko before.

"…You tricked me?" He didn't think Hina was capable of such a devious maneuver.

"I'm a detective. Trapping jerks by leading on conversation is _my job_." She smirked. "My real specialty is beating the crap out of them afterwards if they try anything funny."

"Then go do _that_ instead, I'm not a criminal." If she hit me with one of those punches, it could seriously hurt. Or worse, his face could get bruised, then how'd he explain that at work?

"Yeah, you are. You're an offender to love everywhere and now it's time for me to serve justice."

All the tension he felt evaporated…

"What is that ridiculously _cheesy_ line? Aren't you embarrassed?" He deadpanned. The tension quickly returned when she answered his question with another raised fist.

"Q-Quit it." He ran backwards, but not enough where he sprinted away from her. If he really turned his back and broke into a sprint, he'd tire himself out and she'd catch him for sure.

"Stop dodging and let me hit you already." She dared to say.

"Let's talk about this. I can explain!"

"I don't want to hear it. It might calm me down and make me want to punch your pretty face less." She continued.

"That's the idea, yes!" What the heck? He came here to clear his head, not get it bashed in.

"Not listening." She aimed for him again.

"Okay, I'll buy you as many packs of donuts as you want."

"Grr. How dare you hide behind donuts, you filth?" She _actually_ stopped for that. He was almost disappointed.

"Can you at least explain why you're mad? I don't want to get the wrong idea." He reasoned.

"You hurt my friend. What other reason do I need?"

"I was in a coma." He blanked

"Not an excuse. I've waited too long to act and nothing's gonna stop me now."

"It absolutely is!" Now he was starting to get the urge to hit someone and…those words were familiar. Who had said that before?

**_"I wanted to get back at you for what you said on that day"_**

An eerie emotion welled up inside.

"What do you mean waited?" He asked.

"It _means_ that I've been waiting for a chance to sock you one." She was angry, he knew that. But he also felt she was part-way joking around. Was he wrong? Could he even say he had an eye for reading people?

"Do you dislike me?" He didn't want to think about it. That was absurd; this was Hina he was talking about. If he reflected on the present, much of his recent fortune could be traced back to this girl's honesty and straightforward nature that reminded him of his past self. Did she really have it in her to hold a grudge against him and play the fool? That's…

**_"That's why I wanted to get even."_**

He shook his head. He didn't want to remember that at a time like this. Or ever.

"Got that right, I hate your guts." She glared.

**_"After all, what on Earth trash like you had to be optimistic about, I could never understand."_**

He was beginning to super-impose Komaeda's words onto Asahina's. What exactly did he do to get people to hate him like this?

"If that's how you really felt, then why didn't you just say it outright? I can never understand you." He gritted his teeth.

"Why are _you_ the one getting mad? I'm the one who has that right. As for why...you were sick and mopey all the time. I couldn't hit you then – It'd be like beating up a wounded dog." Hina said

"…I don't understand. Why are you being considerate if you hate me?" Was he still talking to Hina?

**_"That's when I thought of a way to make you realize that you're just as wretched as I am"_**

"Huh? Because you're my friend."

Always lying…

"_Make up your mind._ Did you like me or hate me?" He roared

"Both. I care about you a lot but at this moment, I have to hate you." **sHe** stated.

Always speaking in contradictions and never being honest...No wonder you ended up alone.

"You're my friend and Kyoko's also my friend. So just this once, I'll force myself to dislike you." Hina said, calmly and snapped Makoto out of his trance.

"Could you repeat that?"

"What's with you today? I said that I'm going to get revenge for my friend. You're my friend too but this time I'll put those feelings aside and clobber you." Hina raised her fist

Put them...aside? She chose to do both for the person she cares for the most…If you wanted to protect someone, you could also harm others, even if you don't want to. That was a perfectly natural occurrence.

What kind of face did Komaeda have back then? Was he angry? _Truly_ angry. Could he have been lying?

Makoto couldn't remember. He'd nearly forgotten what Komaeda looked like. He'd been afraid of the other lucky student and repressed anything that had to do with him for years. If he tried recalling moments with the older boy, it would always lead back to the last time they spoke. When…he'd said those horrible things. Words he could never take back and plagued him even now.

What face did Komaeda wear when they fought?

He couldn't remember.

He didn't want to remember.

Ah, he'd forgotten. That was the sort of wretched person he was. Hurting others with irresponsible preaching and platitudes was his specialty.

"W-Why are you crying? I wasn't _that_ harsh." Hina panicked. Idiot. Don't make a mess of things then get anxious about it.

He wiped the tears away.

"Hina." He said.

"Y-Yeah?"

"Hit me as hard as you can." He said, plainly.

"What?" Her eyes widened.

"Just do it. Or are you chickening out after all that bravado?"

"Fine. One Hina blowout coming right up." She really didn't hold back when she slammed her fist right into his gut.

Makoto fell to the ground and clutched his stomach.

"Oraaaaaa. Now I feel great." She exclaimed

"I feel like shit." He croaked.

"Sorry, let me give you a hand." She lifted his arm and placed it over her shoulder.

"You're about the only girl I've ever met that could floor a guy on purpose and then be considerate of him the next second." His tone dripped sarcasm.

"Hey, you told me to hit you as hard as I could." Hina grinned.

"Regretting it…so much." He tried laughing. It hurt, so let's not do any of that right now. "Hina, humor me with a hypothetical."

"Ok."

"Let's say I hurt someone, and I can't take that back. How would I apologize?"

"You can't just tell them?"

"No."

"…Make a show of it then." She said, simply.

"What do you mean?" He cocked his head.

"Um..you know. Do it big so everyone can see." She tried to explain.

"I'm still not following." Makoto frowned.

Hina looked deep in thought. "Would an example work?"

"If it's a good one, I don't see why not."

"When I chose to become a detective, I only thought of how I'd beat the crap out of the bad guys, give them what they deserved and call it a day. I was naïve…this job wasn't so black and white. Most of the offenders I've arrested are bad but some were good people who had a really bad day. Dealing with the latter types are the worst…because they have a conscience; one huge mistake and they end up wrecking their lives with regret. I never feel right about locking those types up and throwing away the key…but they need to be punished somehow, y'know?"

He agreed

"And once they've done their time, it's hopefully water under the bridge. They may still have problems reintegrating into society…however, nobody has the right to say they haven't paid for their mistakes. It's all about making a statement. If you do wrong then expect it to be done to you. The more wrong you've done, the more pronounced the statement will be. Even kids know that. If you think you've done something so horrible that you can't take back and want to apologize, then make a huge statement in a way that nobody can deny your penance."

Make a statement…He'd never thought about that.

"But I think anything is better than just holding it in. Like I said about the ones with a conscience? I think if we didn't punish them, they'd end up punishing themselves in much worse ways. You might think I'm exaggerating but I've seen quite a few tragedies like that."

"Hina…you're kind of smart." He said, impressed. at the sage advice

"Are you mocking me?" She glared.

"No, it's a compliment- ow ow ow. It still hurts!" Reeling from Hina elbowing him in the gut.

"Serves you right…" She grinned "You better take my advice and go propose already."

...

"Propose? To who?" Makoto scrunched his face.

"Kyoko, duh. That's what you're asking about, right?"

"No! What part of hypothetical didn't you understand? I'm not ready to get married either." He blushed.

Hina clicked her tongue "Sheesh, both of you are so overdramatic. You act your age in every way except when it comes to each other."

* * *

Makoto slumped onto the sofa as soon as he got back to his apartment. Hina didn't hold back, and he wasn't talking about the punch. She ordered at least a dozen packs of donuts and made him eat with her. He'd have to run all week to recover from all those calories.

"But first…some sleep." He dozed off in short order, and was thus completely unaware that there someone else in the apartment.

The figure twirled brought an item out of her skirt and locked onto Makoto's wrists.

"Time to fulfill my duty as a little sister." Komaru Naegi whispered.

Komaru graduated high school recently and much like other young adults, her head was filled with worries over the future. _Unlike _most young adults, Komaru was not especially worried about her own future but Makoto's. Ever since his accident, worrying about him became as natural as breathing. He was a dork at first, always getting himself into trouble but still retaining his optimism. Then that optimism subsided and gave way to depression; he either forced himself to smile or didn't care to. Recently, she'd caught signs of his old personality returning, but the cause was of dubious moral origin.

Makoto was a cause for worry but never a menace that would bring harm on himself or others. Or so Komaru believed until she personally witnessed multiple acts of infidelity. She'd been too lenient. She wasn't about to let him turn into some sleazy playboy.

* * *

Makoto woke up drowsily. The first thing he noticed was the lights being turned off. The second was the feeling of a cold metal on his wrists. It was a scarily familiar sensation, which proved warranted when he noticed the cuffs chaining his wrists together.

"Again!?" He yelled. How the heck did this happen? Did a burglar sneak in? If so, why would they handcuff him?

"…Mikan, are you there?" It was a wild guess but that was the only person in the world who'd ever tried this. And better someone he knows than some weirdo he'd never met before.

"Why Mikan?" A frustrated voice said as the lights flipped on.

"Komaru? Did you handcuff me?" He addressed his sister. He didn't bother asking how she got in here when he'd given her a key. This was quite the breach of trust.

"Don't dodge the question. Why would your doctor ever incapacitate you?" She asked, lips thinned.

Because she's done it before – is something he absolutely couldn't he say. Instead he blamed it on deliriousness.

"Can you get me out of this? My hands are _chaffing_." He pouted.

"D-Don't think acting cute will work on me, you…you _manwhore_." She blurted out.

…

Like a fish out of water, he gaped.

"_Where did that come from?" _First he was a criminal, now he's a..a…nope, not even going to entertain the thought.

"Don't you deny it, you beast. I've seen you going through women like you change clothes."

"…Have you been listening to Toko again?" About the only plausible explanation here - was that the author had gone too far with her teasing and Komaru had taken it at face value.

"Shifting the blame already? You really have become a degenerate." She pointed at him.

"...You're starting to hurt my feelings."

"Too bad, you're long over due for some tough love."

It was then at a knock came from the door.

"That's why I've called in backup." Komaru explained, before leaving the room.

Makoto arched his eyebrow. Komaru left the living room, his living room to be exact, and invited others over. Fortunately, or unfortunately (depending on how this day was going to end) they were at least people he knew.

As expected, Toko came in first, gazing at his predicament with an expression even more dumbfounded than his own.

"…Having a bad day, huh?" Hina understood his frustration best, after causing half of it this very day.

"I trust you have been well." Sakura came along too. He hadn't seen her in months. He at least returned this greeting with a smile.

"Nice place, Makoto." Sayaka remarked, deliberately ignoring his handcuffs.

"Junko said she didn't want to come. It'd be boring." This was a face he had only ever met once.

"Mukuro, right?"

The raven-haired girl nodded "It appears we're fated to meet like this, Makoto."

"Wouldn't mind getting me out of this one too, would you?" He held out his cuffs suggestively.

She shrugged.

Darn it.

"It's like a mini-class reunion. Even though we're missing all the guys." Hina commented cheerily.

"For good reason because this lecherous older brother _only_ preys on women. Like stand users are drawn to each other, he draws in women like a harem protagonist." Komaru exclaimed.

I shouldn't have woken up…

"Having a _really_ bad day, huh?" Hina sent him a pitying look.

"B-Before Omaru kills us with her stupidity, can either of you explain?" Toko was ever the voice of reason.

"I'm trying to save my two-timing, philanderer of a brother from ending up on a really nice boat." Komaru on the other hand, made less sense than ever. "And worst of all, he didn't even tell her he'd become a male model!"

...

_"Komaru, your last name's Naegi?" A circle of friends engaged her. _

_"You know it is." She answered, bothered by the excited stares directed towards her._

_"Do you know him?" One brought out an article._

_"W-Why are you showing me one of those magazines?" She averted her eyes at the sight of a half-naked man._

_"Don't be a virgin. Just look~"_

_"…He's hot, I guess." She steeled herself…but there was something familiar about him. She glanced at the name on the side._

_No fucking way._

_"Makoto?" She turned pale. What the hell was he doing? Why were they checking out her brother? Why was she checking out her brother!?_

_.._

"After that, my friends constantly plagued her to introduce him to them." Komaru finished and then glared at Makoto "You jerk, how could you keep this from me?"

"It was a little embarrassing." He blushed.

"Leave it to Cumaru to get things backwards. You're only losing it because you're trying to repress the fact that you're attracted to your own brother." Toko chastised Komaru.

"Shut up, Toko!" Komaru jumped her.

"Get off m-me." The bespectacled girl kicked Komaru off her. The others watched the scene like they would have with dogs fighting.

"There's more. Like how he doesn't have any guy friends. You can't tell me there's nothing weird about that." Komaru persisted

"Do I get a say in this?" Makoto asked wearily

"The accused need not speak." Komaru snapped.

Why was everyone mad at him?

"I don't believe that reflects on Makoto's personality. His circumstances are different from men his age." Sakura took his side.

"That's in the past. He's had plenty of time to try out new things. Isn't that right?" She said sarcastically, then glared at him for the umpteenth time.

He didn't reply. _The accused needn't speak._

"Komaru might have a point. Maybe we should hook Makoto up with Mondo. I think he's still in town." Hina suggested

"A d-dynamic with the delinquent would only exacerbate this moron's worries. Pointless as they are already."

"I didn't want to have to use this but I guess you guys won't realize how dangerous he is otherwise." Komaru sighed dramatically.

"Makoto sexually harassed Junko with a vibrator!" She yelled.

...

Everyone else in the room shared equally stupefied expressions.

Makoto looked to the calendar plastered on the wall. _Huh, it was Friday the 13__th__. Now…what did she mean by that?_

"I don't buy it." "Impossible." "S-Stop mixing up stupid manga with reality." "..." Were Hina, Sakura, Toko and Sayaka's reactions, respectively.

"I thought you wouldn't but I have proof. Mukuro is my witness." She pointed to the older twin.

"That's what I heard." On the surface, Mukuro appeared neutral. On the inside, she was greatly entertained by the notion that she might have caused his incident.

"…Makoto, I'm going to arrest you for real this time." Hina gazed down on him with disgust.

"I have no idea what they're talking about." Makoto dismissed the accusation as nonsense.

"When was this?" Sayaka interjected calmly

"Shortly before his coma. Junko told me he'd waved a Kokeshi Dynamo in her face and asked if she wanted to use it. I've never seen my poor sister so terrified." Mukuro showed not a hint of emotion or indication that she was lying.

Of course, Junko herself could clear this misunderstanding up, but that would imply she could be helpful…

"Ok. You're coming with me, buddy." Hina had completely gone over to the other side.

"Couldn't it be possible that he didn't know what it was?" Sayaka defended him. She, Sakura and Toko were thankfully still skeptical. The first because she had an idea what was happening, the second because she actually had faith in him. Finally, the third, simply because she believed Komaru to be an idiot and probably didn't know the whole story.

"Don't be fooled, Sayaka. He's a _guy, they're all _perverts." Hina argued.

"Sakura already mentioned his circumstances aren't the same." The bluenette said, then turned to Komaru. "Think about it this way, Komaru. Makoto was first hospitalized back in middle school correct? About ages 14?" Sayaka spoke an experienced teacher leading a student towards the correct answer.

"A-And he's been stuck in the hospital till…only…a few months ago." Toko blanked as she steadily caught on to the actress' implications.

"Komaru…just to be sure, what have you been teaching Makoto since he woke up?" Sakura clued as well.

"The basics." She said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"…How basic?" Mukuro stepped up. She had known of Komaru's miscalculation from the start.

_What was their deal? Sure, Makoto didn't have the same experiences as other boys and he didn't…get out much or learn…about…a lot?_

Komaru suddenly stumbled upon a glaring problem she might have looked. She and Toko had only educated Makoto on school stuff like English, Math, Social studies. All the basics he'd need to get into a half-way decent college. That was it.

She…no, they came to a horrifying realization while meeting the innocent eyes that anxiously shifted between them.

_He knows jackshit about the outside world!_

-Toko recalled an old conversation when Komaru initiated that stupid operation involving Aoi.

_"That's…great? I mean, normal for her age right?" _

Thinking about it now, he acted like he had no idea how to react in that situation. Or what was proper for him.

-Then Hina recalled how Makoto bought her story about an older sibling's duties a little too easily.

_I didn't know that was my responsibility. Thanks for telling me._

She had made that stuff up on the spot as to not come across as a weirdo.

_What heck was a space-case?_

Additionally, there were tons of instances where Makoto couldn't follow a normal conversation and kept asking questions. And while she called him a pervert, he'd never openly hit on her before or anything idiots like Leon did.

\- Sakura had her suspicions since the day she interrogated the model.

_Unwholesome? What do you mean?_

She believed her implications were opaque, yet he failed to catch on.

-Sayaka had known since they met.

_It didn't bother me that much; a few of the girls I know do that all the time._

Junko had told the ex-idol that Makoto had no social awareness and failed to pick up on modern terms or cues. His friends had educated and rehabilitated him, but taught him none of the skills to function in the outside world. That was one of the reasons they tried to bag him a job. Forget the dynamo, they'd be lucky if Makoto even knew about sex…back then anyway.

"Why did everyone get silent?" It definitely beat getting verbally abused but this was creepy.

"Komaru seemed to have overlooked something." Mukuro smiled.

"B-But you're the one who said-" The youngest in the room began

"Not quite. All I've done is relay what Junko has told me. I can't be held accountable for whether any of it is true." As if predicting Komaru's excuse, Mukuro cut her off with a reasonable counter.

Komaru shook and then devolved into a mess of tears. She hugged Makoto while rambling over how she screwed up or something. He'd pat her on the head but the handcuffs weren't letting him. Instead he just focused on the others with an expression that conveyed a simple "What's going on?"

They all shook their heads

"…Don't think too hard." Toko said, irritated. In her hand was a key she'd pried away from Komaru during their short scuffle. She inserted it into the handcuffs and freed him.

"I'll keep that in mind." He frowned, ready to put the chaos behind him as soon as possible. "I think I'll have a talk with Komaru. You guys can make yourself at home in the mean time."

With that, he picked up his sister and brought her to one of the spare rooms. They were going to have a nice long chat about breaking and entering.

Seeing him leave, the girls turned towards Mukuro with the same idea in mind. Komaru's paranoia had been an interesting diversion, one they didn't regret bearing witness to. However, the most interesting of all had nothing to do with her. Like hunters discovering a weakness in their prey, they pounced without mercy.

"'Junko was terrified', you say? Care to elaborate?" Hina formed a crooked a sneer. Toko, Sayaka and even Sakura joined her.

"Oh yeah." Mukuro Ikusaba snickered

* * *

Makoto forced Komaru to sit on her knees.

"Now are you really going to tell me what this is about?" Makoto said, firmly. Disciplining his baby sister was something he'd rarely…scratch that, _never_ done before. But a few too many lines were crossed this day and he'd be damned if he let her get away scot free…even if his resolve did shake a bit at her apologetic disposition.

Komaru responded with a sniffle but otherwise said nothing else. That alone was able to shatter his 'resolve'.

Damn it, he was so pathetic.

Makoto sighed, and settled down on the edges of the bed.

"Sit." He motioned for Komaru to sit by him, which she acquiesced reluctantly. Once Komaru was next to him, Makoto affectionately ruffled her hair and rested her head on his shoulder, If only to ease her anxiety.

"…I've changed. Is that right?" He began

She nodded slowly

"And not for the better?"

Again, she nodded.

"Why do you feel that way?"

Komaru bit her lip. A few seconds passed before Makoto accepted she wasn't prepared to answer.

"You're not being interrogated…and I won't get mad either."

"…Promise?"

"I promise." To be fair, it's not like anything she said at this point could top calling him a manwhore. The bar already broke through the ceiling right at the starting line.

"…I feel like you're going away." She said, solemnly

"I'm…right here."

"Don't interrupt me, please."

Makoto scratched his hair, confused at the direction this conversation was heading.

"Before the accident, you were this happy-go-lucky idiot who stayed positive no matter what. I don't think that changed even after we discovered you had narcolepsy. I wasn't able to visit you for a while thanks to my exams but when I did, you were a different person; you didn't smile nearly as much and were on edge whenever I was around. It was like you were trying not to rock a sinking boat. I thought Komaeda was responsible but he wasn't there either and nobody would tell me anything."

Makoto ruminated over that time…It would have been shortly after his fight with Komaeda. He had never considered Komaru's feelings back then.

"That's when I decided to visit you every day, even if I had school. I thought I could cheer you up and bring back the old Makoto."

**_"Komaru! It's great to see you and all but…don't you have school?"_**

**_"I'm still going but I just got up extra early to see you…we don't really talk much anymore."_**

A conversation like that did happen all those years ago, didn't it? And his response was to…

"It was naïve of me to think I could fix things without knowing what the problem was. I couldn't blame you for pushing me away – It must've been really annoying having to deal with me all the time."

"That's not-"

"Don't lie!" She said harshly. "I saw the way you looked at me sometimes. To be honest, I thought I'd done something to make you hate me, so I stopped visiting."

**_"I guess you won't mind if I ask why you have a tendency to make discouraging glances at your little sister when she's not looking?"_**

**_"Didn't you notice or are you pretending not to have noticed? Whenever That took her eyes off you, your features changed. Sometimes you looked sad, envious or even angry…the point is not one of those alterations were ever positive. "_**

Makoto frowned. He didn't have anything to retort with. He had been jealous of Komaru. That was all there was to this story.

"I had just about given up…until you came to ask me for help…or ask me to ask Toko for help. You were looking for a mystery novel, I think. I wasn't sure why but you were happier for some reason and that gave me hope that I could get my brother back. I was naïve then too. That happiness you found made you decide to go through with the operation and I never wanted that. Even if it meant that you'd die, I'd have wanted you to stay with me even for a little longer. I'm stupid, aren't I?"

"You're not." The idiot here was himself, through and through.

"…My worst fears came true anyway. You didn't wake up after the operation, and I thought I'd lost you for good - Sorry, I know this was the part where the family has hope everything will turn out alright…but I couldn't do that. I gave up and wanted to forget you as fast as I could…yet I was too stupid to do that either. I didn't believe you'd recover but I went to the hospital day after day anyway. It was masochism. Of course, you woke up anyway. I don't think you could ever imagine how happy I was to see you again."

"But…you still weren't my brother. You wouldn't even properly fake a smile and took everything in as if you were just wearing someone else's body. You didn't _see_ anybody. Not until I set you up with Yuta's sister. Sorry about tricking you like that but meeting Hina at the aquarium was my idea, me and Yuta weren't really dating." Komaru chuckled derisively.

"It's no problem."

"Then you started acting wildly, doing things you never used to. I mean look at you. I couldn't even recognize you when I saw your picture and…_modeling_? How'd you even think of that idea?" He couldn't blame her bewilderment. It was a bold decision on his part.

"Why didn't you come home after you were discharged from the hospital?" She asked, suddenly.

…That was a peculiar question and one he didn't feel like he could lie his way out of.

"I thought it'd be awkward moving back home with everyone." Home was where the heart belongs. Makoto had spent so long in the hospital that he couldn't recognize anything else as his home. Even his parents were little more than strangers now, as painful as that was to admit.

"I knew it. I never did get my brother back. No matter how far I chased after your back, I couldn't reach you. In over 5 years, you've never once looked my way."

He felt the fabric on his shoulder moisten.

"I thought I could make myself useful by helping you catch up on your studies, but I botched the most important detail and blamed you for something ridiculous." At this point, her sobs were very much audible.

"I was never of any use to you and you didn't need me. That's all it amounts to in the end."

"You've got that wrong." He said adamantly. He lifted Komaru's head slightly and wiped away her tears.

"I…can't deny most of that because anything I'd say would come across as a poor excuse at best. However, what I can say that you're wrong on one point; you haven't lost me at all. Someone told me that I'm a slow learner and I think they're absolutely right. I was too slow to undergo the operation when my chances might have been higher. I was too slow to wake up and apologize to my only friend. I was too slow to keep my promise to the girl I liked. And even now, I'm moving too slowly to make up for my mistakes. All I was ever good for was talking without thinking about how my words could hurt others. I accept all of that was my fault, that's why I can also they that you're wrong, Komaru. The only one who hasn't caught up yet, is me."

"I don't want to get left behind anymore, so I have to change regardless of how anyone feels about it. But Komaru, I'll still be your older brother. Nothing can change that."

...

"…Okay. I'll believe you just this once." She buried her face in his chest.

"Good. By the way, I'm taking my house key back." He said after a time.

"Don't ruin it, idiot."

* * *

He'd tucked Komaru into bed after she'd cried herself to sleep. She might have been a fully grown adult but she was still a child in so many ways.

Guess I'll call mom and dad and tell them Komaru's staying the night here.

He silently walked out of the room, remembering he still had guests. When he returned, he could see Sakura had left.

"Where'd Sakura go?"

"Uh, you were taking a while. Sakura said she had an appointment and told us to apologize for her rudeness. Sakura's so formal, hehehe." Hina replied in the fighter's stead…awfully quickly too.

Makoto glanced towards Sayaka, then Mukuro and finally Toko. All of whom occupied by their own activities but otherwise weren't meeting his gaze. Combine that with Hina's suspicious reaction…

"You heard all that, didn't you?" He pouted.

"Cat's out of the bag, girls." Mukuro didn't even try to put up a front.

"Y-You're the one who said we should listen." Hina stuttered, embarrassed at having been caught.

Huh, Makoto barely had any memories of Mukuro but she seemed a lot less of a trickster back in their younger days. Then again, she _is_ Junko's sister.

"Did Sakura eavesdrop too?"

"L-Like hell. O-Ogre would have clobbered us." Toko admitted.

"Your sister is adorable, Makoto. Not quite as cute as Junko but enough for me to feel bad about teasing her." Mukuro's expression wasn't nearly as apologetic as she sounded.

"Yuta's cuter than any of your sisters." Hina, as per her nature, saw a competition and wanted in.

"Um, Hina? I don't think your little brother appreciate that kind of complment." Sayaka added.

"Let's not get into a fight over this. Cutest sibling aside, I'm probably the worst older one here." Makoto said.

"No doubt." "Looks that way." "Was it ever in question?"

"About time you noticed how she felt. Y-You don't know how many times I've wanted to smack you in the face for being so o-oblivious." Toko said, displeased.

"Wait, you had a grudge against me too? Is there _anyone else_ who wants to get something off their chest?" He asked.

"You _should_ try hitting him, Toko. You'll feel a looooot better, trust me." Hina joined.

Makoto sighed. He needed some male friends.

* * *

He went to the hospital the following day.

"I'm sorry but I'll have to make this short. Did you have any concerns, Makoto?" The urgency was by no means a discourtesy on Mikan's part. Now that he wasn't a patient anymore, it was a show of favor that she could meet him without an appointment.

"Sorry to take time out of your busy schedule but there's something only you can answer. It's about Komaeda." He began.

"If your question is within my authority to answer then there shouldn't be an issue, but you're alright with talking about him again?"

"I've been called stupid a lot lately so it's given me a bit of a wake-up call. Komaeda and I had a fight shortly before my operation. We said a lot of cruel things to each other; all of which I regret on my end. However, I wanted to know what Komaeda thought of first. And I think you're the only one who could answer. From an outsider's opinion, what was our relationship like?"

"So _that_ was it." Mikan huffed "Boys will be boys, I suppose. But I believe I've given my opinion before – You two were definitely friends."

"You sure? You weren't all that convincing back then."

"Are you dissatisfied, ?" Mikan _smiled_.

"Nope, I was just talking to myself." He speedily corrected himself. "Then, was Komaeda sad when I didn't wake up?"

"Not in the slightest. If anything, he was relieved."

"Guess he really didn't like me." Makoto deflated

"That can't be right either. He always told me that you'd recover without a doubt and I was wasting my 'oh-so-precious time' worrying about you." Mikan added, playfully mocking Komaeda's reverent tendencies.

That was along the lines of what Headmaster Kirigiri told him.

"I don't get it. How could he be so confident?"

"I'm not fully equipped to answer that. Though if you want my theory, you need to consider that Nagito was a nihilist who only believed in one thing." Mikan hypothesized

"Talent or HOPE." Makoto said, sarcastically.

"Yes. To Nagito, the two were the same. He didn't consider you to be an Ultimate like us and if you did have a talent, I don't believe It would have helped your illness." Mikan gave him a pitying look. He wouldn't disagree for he really had been _that_ unlucky.

"Then the only talent Nagito could have trusted was his own luck." She conclued

"…He probably thought it was bad luck that I didn't die in the end."

"He wasn't the devil, Makoto." She reprimanded. "I'm not sure what you think Nagito's feelings were, but he was poor at conveying his emotions, so you could easily have misunderstood. My opinion is that he cared a great deal about you. I can say that with more certainty now than in the past."

"I see." He said, bashfully. As much as he didn't want to admit it, Mikan's words made him happy.

"What do you plan to do with this information, I wonder." Mikan asked a leading question. Makoto couldn't help but notice that she was expecting something.

"I think I'll visit Komaeada's grave…and then apologize the only way I know how. It might be tough though."

Mikan beamed. "That's wonderful. Now wait here, while I give you something."

Makoto watched the director leave and wondered what she could have in store for him. Mikan returned with…

"A notebook?" Makoto examined the item she'd brought back with her.

"Yes, though it isn't mine, nor have I ever looked inside. This belongs to Nagito. He instructed that if you ever cared enough to search for him, I should return this to you."

"Wait…_return_?" That would imply…

"Yes, he said it was yours originally."

Makoto gazed at the book an remembered.

He…had given Komaeda this diary. Maybe the answers I'm searching for are in there.

…

Mikan saw Makoto out of the building and watched his retreating form with a sense of happiness that was difficult to express at her age and status. She truly pleased with the turn of events.

"See, Nagito. It took him a while…but he didn't give up on you. I knew he wouldn't."

The former Ultimate Nurse had meant every word she said. While her two former patients had an eccentric dynamic and were prone to fighting, they were assuredly close. She didn't have a family and grew up taking care of herself.

For that reason, she'd thought of them both as irreplaceable younger brothers.

"Now then, what to do about Nagito's inheritance?"

* * *

_November 24th 20XX_

_I'm Nagito Komaeda and this journal is to be received by Makoto Naegi. I'm not really sure how this works so hopefully you can put up with my poor grammar, bad writing and disjointed thoughts._

_If you're reading this then I'm already dead. Huh, now there's a morbid thought. Oh well, the end comes for everyone; memento mori and all that. In the unlikely event that I'm not dead and you somehow got your hands on this notebook, then please stop reading here. That's not to say you can't but it'd be rather embarrassing for me if you did, and I'd ignore you for about a week or so. At least until I ended up forgetting._

_I'm not sure whether receiving this notebook from you was a stroke of good or bad luck. Good because I'll have some way of documenting my wretched thoughts before they fade away. Bad because I'm confessing my wretched thoughts. It took a while to work up the courage to do this but better late than never right? Is what I would say but it seems never will come soon._

_Now where do we begin? From the start, I suppose. You know the story, my parents died and through a series of happenstance, I wound up in Hope's Peak Academy. It felt like my entire life, both fortune and misfortune had led up to this moment of greatness. However fleeting it was meant to be. My classmates and instructors were every bit as beautiful as I imagined; eccentrics who were faultless in the realm of their art. Of course, trash like me couldn't easily mingle with them. A few like Nanami approached me but I was satisfied to observe them from afar. It would have been a pity for them to die before they could share their talent with the world. My luck is that sort of curse; everything that gets close to me is doomed. I was protecting the classmates I loved so much, in my own way. That was my blissful delusion, one I wished could have gone forever._

_Then I met you._

_December 12th__h__ 20XX_

_It would appear I'd forgotten about this. Writing isn't as easy as it used to be, remembering there was something I had to write was harder still._

_ If I remember correctly I dismissed you as unimportant initially, but I soon discovered we were similar in many ways. Actually, since it's me we're talking about then perhaps you really are unimportant regardless. Maybe I felt bad for you, I can't remember. Being cheated out of HPA was misfortune I couldn't imagine. I doubtlessly would have ended my own life were I to have been in your shoes. Why then, didn't you despair? You were in no better position than I…no, you were much worse off. I had to believe that, because I was an Ultimate and you weren't. Yet your optimism remained steadfast, while I had none left. Additionally, my talent wouldn't work whenever I was around you; as if your bad luck overpowered everything that came near it. Till this day, I can't find an answer for that, nevertheless I was happy – That someone could be around me without dying, even if you were average and clueless. _

_You intrigued me, and I wanted to find out if more to you. However, as immature as I am, my interest led to many theoretical arguments between us._

_As shamed as I am to confess this, I enjoyed them. It was rare that someone would indulge and contest my beliefs, as opposed to writing me off. It was a pity hose arguments led to...I can't remember._

_I'll have to ask Tsumiki._

_ December 13__th__ 20XX_

_Tsumiki told me that we had quite the fight. That sounds about as drastic as I imagined, even if the details elude me. What I can recall is that I was greatly disillusioned. Whatever words you'd spoken had me doubt the convictions I held dear._

_You made me realize the contradiction. If the Ultimates I held in such high-esteem had talent superior to my worthless luck. I believed that. So why then, was I afraid I could hurt them with it?_

_I respected them as superiors who knew better. So why did I reject their offers and think distancing myself was for the best?_

_Perhaps it is because I've seen none of them short of Tsumiki, or maybe it's because I don't remember any of them at all…however, I think I might have hated them. I'm uncertain since I can't recall those times or what I was thinking back then. All I have left is a vague feeling, and I can't imagine it is a positive one. Could I have been jealous of them? I don't know. That said, I don't feel like I hate Tsumiki or you. I'm not sure why but whenever I think of either of you, I feel different, warm even._

_February 2__nd__ 20XX_

_I'm sure there's a lot I have to say but it's gotten hard to move or think. I should try to rush through this before I forget completely._

_ I'm not sure what led me to do what I did but Tsumiki told me you had an operation with a low chance of success. I think I vaguely recognize that much and I think I also didn't want you to die. Fortunately, the problem was only a matter of chance, and who knows luck better than me?_

_I reading this journal again and found out you could apparently nullify my luck. That's pretty amazing, wonder why I thought you were talentless._

_ Did you only have bad luck? If so, It would explain why I distanced myself away from you. If I were me and wanted to keep you from dying then I would need a massive amount of good luck._

_September 5__th__ 20XX_

_I'm not sure if I've ever told you this but my luck works in cycles. _

_First I exude misfortune and then end up with good luck. In other words, I'd need to be as unlucky as possible to pull this off. _

_Apparently, I left the hospital to stay at home. _

_That sounds _

_like a disaster if I've ever heard one but it would make sense as it lines up_

_ with the only solid memory I have left._

_You were there but yo en't supp osed to be_

_November 25__th__ 20XX_

_Your bad luck won out_

_You weren't me ant to find me_

_You shouldn't have called me your friend_

_Was it my good luck or your bad luck? It was the same_

_I was happy_

_I shouldn' been _

_It wasn't what I needed_

_I said I hated you to salvage what was left_

_That was a lie_

_A ll of it wa e_

Makoto didn't read the rest…because he couldn't read it. He had always denied Komaeda's self deprecation when it came to his writing however, from this point on, the text would illegible. He had spent an hour on the way to the cemetery just to decipher that much.

Makoto had initially found amusement in how disjointed and off-track Komaeda's records were, because it was typical and nostalgic of the ultimate lucky student. That humor gave way to a crippling sadness near the end, as if diary itself conveyed Komaeda's mental degradation where words could not.

Everything after that final point was unreadable. Everything but the last sentence on the journal. This didn't mean it was more legible than the rest; far from it. The sheer desperation that could be gleamed from the writing arguably made it messier.

However, it was a phrase even someone as slow and oblivious as Makoto could have inferred without needing it spelt perfectly.

_I love you_

Those words marked the end of the scribbles on the final day of Nagito Komaeda's life. The date that was exactly the same as what was carved into the tombstone that laid before him. Komaeda had been buried next to his parents. Yet Makoto thought the sight seemed so painfully lonely.

Makoto balled his hands into a fist while tears fell. He was a fool. Every time he thought he had a grasp on the extent of his own idiocy, he was proven wrong. Why didn't he notice? Komaeda couldn't have put up a good act. He had neither the talent nor the health to sustain it. Anyone else should have seen through that B-grade villain act. Why the hell couldn't he!?

His eyes widened as they landed on the date that preceded the one of Komaeda's death; his birthday. An illusion of the past played before Makoto's eyes. He and Komaeda had celebrated that day before.

**_"Makoto, do you feel like going out?"_**

**_"Eh? What's the occasion?"_**

**_"Nothing special, even I get bored of hanging around this place all day. Come with me to see the town."_**

**_…_**

**_"I still had fun. What were the chances of them having a festival today anyway, Komaeda?"_**

**_"It happens around this time every year. I just thought it was worth going to this time around."_**

**_"Hmm, what day is it?"_**

**_"April 28th."_**

"…What the hell?" He choked. "Enough with this 'forgetting' crap. You're just a coward who could never face me head on."

"It's nothing special? If you wanted me to be with you on your birthday, then just say so, moron!"

"I'm not smart, I can't pick up subtleties or read-in-between the lines! I'm a careless idiot, you said it all the time, didn't you!?"

He fell to his knees

"If you loved me, why didn't you just say it?"

He smashed his fist against the muddy ground. The skies grayed and rain fell, as if to reflect his lamentation.

"I'm sorry."

He yelled. He grieved. But it was all for self-satisfaction. Nobody would grace his pleas. Nobody would curse him either. He was 5 years too late.

* * *

The warmth of spring replaced the harsh winters and this time, Makoto felt he was exactly where he should be; standing before the broken down estate of the Komaeda family.

Mikan had one final surprise waiting for him. She and himself had been designated by Komaeda as the ones to inherit his family's legacy. At the time, Makoto wanted to decline the inheritance…but then he remembered this place. Barren of life as it was now, it was once the home of a loving family. And so Makoto resolved himself to return this landscape to its former splendor, with his own hands.

Hina had told him if he wanted to repent, he should make a statement. That was merely self-satisfaction. What he was doing would help nobody but himself. However, it was all he could do.

"I took a vacation from work for this. I better make the most of it." He said to himself. But the question was where to start? The entire estate was in need of renovating. He didn't hire a soul to fix the building but he'd read up on the task and bought the necessary supplies.

He started with the inside of the mansion. He deftly packed away (but not disposing) items that were past expiry. The halls, floors, furniture etc were cleaned, mopped and dusted. Makoto spared no expense concerning the depth of his work. It would defeat the purpose if the house wasn't spotless. Nonetheless, Makoto did not touch the master room. He had decided from the beginning that he would save those for last. As far as he was concerned, those rooms were the most important locations in the estate.

Makoto didn't underestimate the difficulty of his task, and yet the sun had already set by the time he finished cleaning. Exhausted to the core, he collapsed and slept on the floor.

…

The next day, Makoto focused on the front yard, tending to the garden. He got rid of weeds, aerated an then fertilized the grass. He wouldn't see any healthy green for some time but hopefully the season's rain would reward his diligence.

"I'm tired. I should rest for a bit." Makoto pulled out a chair and set it up for him to rest in the garden. It hadn't taken long for him to fall asleep.

His dreams were unfamiliar to him. He dreamed of the mansion, but it was far more beautiful than its present state. Furthermore, there were people he had never seen before. 3 to be exact; a mother, father and child, happily wading through the garden. The parents showered the little boy with unbridled affection and in turn, the boy's smile could have warmed the hearts of even the most hardened men.

Makoto observed the sight with melancholic happiness.

It needn't be said who they were. Makoto realized it was a dream right from the start…but it was one he wouldn't mind lasting a little while longer.

Shame that wasn't meant to be.

"Wake up!"

His eyes fluttered open in response to the loud voice.

"Give me 10 minutes, Komaru." He yawned. He recognizes the voice before seeing the person.

"It would seem you still can't take care of yourself." Came a voice that was _not_ his sister's.

"M-Mikan?" Makoto fully woke up now as he found himself flanked by his friends. Komaru, Toko, Yuta, Hina, Sakura, Mikan, Sayaka, Junko, and Mukuro.

"Am I still dreaming?" He wondered

Junko motioned to open her mouth, only to be interrupted by Mukuro "No dreamboat puns please. I have a taser and am willing to use it."

Junko shot her sister a look of pure betrayal "What the hell happened to you!?"

Makoto realized he was wide awake. "Why are you guys here?"

"Everyone's been wondering where you ran off to. You wouldn't answer our calls so we had to go to Mikan." Komaru said.

"I had a feeling you'd be here so I gave everyone else directions." The doctor admonished him.

"Aren't you busy, Mikan?"

"I'm giving Satsuki a trial run at handling things in my absence." She said.

"Why are you cleaning this place up, Makoto. Don't people usually hire renovators to do this?" Hina asked. Everyone more or less thought the same.

"I'm making a statement." He said, succinctly. Hina smiled proudly in response.

"S-So you've been cleaning b-by yourself this whole time? N-No wonder you're so dirty." Toko accused. Makoto wished he could find a snappy response centered on the author's lack of hygiene but she was right.

He was filthy at the moment.

"There goes all the effort I put into your new look." Sayaka frowned

"This is quite the ordeal to take upon yourself." Sakura added, impressed by the younger man's resolve. That said, there was no need to burden to himself to that degree.

"I'll give you a hand. I've spent _years _cleaning up Aoi's room. This mansion will be a cinch compared to that." Yuta was as energetic as ever.

"H-Hey, watch the disses, you brat." Hina placed her little brother into a headlock.

"Thanks guys…but this is something I have to do myself." He said solemnly. The others halted their own activities and stared at him. "There's no point in atoning if I ask any of you for help."

…

"Makoto…you're a drama queen." Said the actress.

"I'm serious." He frowned.

"…Fine. We won't help you." Junko shrugged.

"We won't?" Komaru asked, not remotely satisfied by leaving Makoto to handle things by himself.

"We won't." Junko repeated. And then, going back on her word almost immediately, the fashionista grabbed the shears and started cutting the grass.

"Junko, don't play with sharp objects. You'll hurt yourself!" The overprotective Mukuro instantly dropped her cool persona and ran to assist her hopeless sister.

"Sakura, Hina. Come help me paint the walls." Sayaka called _from inside. _The tanned girls nodded to each other and followed her

"Let's check if the stove works." Yuta grabbed Komaru by the hand and led her inside.

"I'm not about to leave you t-two to start making out while the rest of us are working." Toko ran after them

Makoto stood there gaping.

"Aren't any of you listening? I said I'd handle this alone!" He yelled, baffled by their actions.

"Suit yourself. It's not like any of us are helping you out ~. All this crap lying around is just triggering my OCD and I'm taking care of it." Junko countered.

"Good speech, Makoto, but a waste." Mukuro high-fived the straw-berry blonde. The despair sisters always worked as a team.

"All of you guys just doing whatever you want..." He grumbled. He couldn't exactly call the police and kick them out for tresspassing. Hell, Hina _was_ the police.

*cough*

"Huh?" Makoto turned to face Mikan, the only one who'd yet to occupy herself with something. Instead, she gazed at him with _that_ smile.

"A-Are you mad?"

"I'm not sure, . It might have something to do how you're covered in dirt from head to toe. I wonder...did your immune system become strong enough to withstand germs when I wasn't looking?"

She was mad.

"I-I'll go take a shower."

"That would be for the best." She retorted.

He sighed, and took steps towards the house. He'd been ransacked and completely overpowered…and he couldn't help but laugh at it all.

Yeah, he was definitely dramatic. Maybe that acting job wouldn't be such a bad idea – He thought jokingly.

Makoto climbed the stairs, aiming for the washroom…but first he made a stop at one of the rooms he hadn't cleaned. It was the room where he'd found Komaeda unceremoniously lying on the floor so long ago.

Lying on the desk to the side was a small portrait he hadn't noticed at the time. Inside the frame was a smaller Komaeda surrounded by his parents on both sides. The boy's facial expressions were a perfect match for the one in Makoto's dreams.

With a smile, he placed it back on the shelf.

Just watch me, Komaeda. I- _We'll_ make your home great again.

As if bidding farewell to the past, Makoto locked the door behind him. In front of him was a future still teeming with hope, and there was still one goal left that he hadn't come close to reaching.

But he would, one day.

_One day…I'll definitely catch up to you, Kyoko._

* * *

**Makoto's appearance is based on one of his beta designs:** 4679/25477678098_705205765f_


	3. Her

Cold.

Kyoko Kirigiri was the sole occupant of a bench amidst a makeshift atrium, if it could be called that. The absence of a roof or windows meant the snow falling from those gray skies softly impacted Kyoko's form without impediment. Kyoko wrapped her scarf tighter and rubbed her gloves together in an effort to warm her body.

Growing bored of the book she read, she lifted her head and beheld the sight before her eyes. Should Kyoko comment on the view, white…or light gray, depending on preference, would be a description that would come up often. In this miniature garden, the snow blanketed everything, from the rivers to the roadway. Barring the dark-colored railings on the atrium that evaded the snow, only one area escaped the white hegemony.

A large cherry-blossom tree had yet to wither from the cold. The remaining petals created a dim pink tinge when mixed with the snow.

That small ray of color prevented the landscape from consolidating the illusion that time had stood still - Frozen in the past.

Kyoko imagined the scenery would make an ideal painting in the hands of a competent artist. Furthermore, were the entirety of this space to be locked inside a nigh-monochrome painting, the lone girl would not appear out of place with her lavender-colored hair and pale skin.

Come to think of it…he mistook me for a spirit when we were first met.

_**("My bad about the screaming before. I…thought you were a ghost.")**_

"What a fool." A faint smile graced her lips.

With a strong gust of wind, the rose-colored petals fell from the tree and graced the air. En masse, the petals danced from the branches onto the ground and glazed the view in an illusory pink hue. The spectacle was inviolably beautiful; nevertheless, its charm had been lost over the passing days. The cherry-blossoms weren't what she wanted to see and she doubtfully would for much longer. The snow and cold would see to that.

After feeling a cold shiver, Kyoko closed the book and placed it in her bag.

"He's not coming today either." She whispered.

With her belongings in tow, she marched away, leaving footprints that she knew would be gone by tomorrow, erasing all traces of her presence this afternoon.

* * *

"Kyoko, want to head over to the pool with me?" Hina approached Kyouko before she could leave the classroom. Her offer was well appreciated, but ill-timed.

"I have other plans, Hina. Please, invite me again." Asahina seemed to be content with her response. Kyoko would no longer coldly dismiss her as it were second nature. In fact, Kyoko wished she could go along with Hina. It had only been a week since the allotted date. That was still well within acceptable parameters for lateness. She just had to be patient and he would definitely come. He promised.

* * *

Makoto didn't show up that day…nor the next day…or the next. Now even the Christmas season was mere days away.

She cursed her temporary lapse in judgement in not asking for a cell phone number. There were other alternatives. She was a detective and if she couldn't discover the location of a boy whose full name and residence (a hospital) were already disclosed to her then she would hardly be worthy of the Hope's Peak brand.

She _can_ do this…but she won't. It would be an invasion of privacy.

Headmaster Kirigiri requested her presence to dinner with his new family. She would give anything to skip what would undoubtedly be an awkward meeting, but she had already consented to her father's remarriage. Not showing up would both be inappropriate and worsen relationships in the long run. She didn't worry about missing Makoto on the chance that he came to the garden that day. He would simply come again. If she's waited as long as she has then so could he.

Kyoko wore her best dress to event and would have her behavior reflect that. There was no need to display resentment to her "new step-family" but she certainly wouldn't go out of her way to appease them. Her father informed her that he was seeing a once divorced woman named Mari Reneaux.

When Kyoko met the woman at the restaurant, she'd been moderately impressed. Mari was a beautiful woman, who appeared to be of some foreign decent. From her mannerisms and gestures, Kyoko deduced she was from a wealthy family. That made their introductions thankfully less awkward.

What Kyoko didn't expect was for the woman to bring a child of her own. Rather, the problem was who said child was.

"Togami." Kyoko greeted curtly, masking her confusion. The heir returned with a nod of acknowledgement. He didn't seem nearly as surprised to see her there, which was probably expected seeing as how everyone in the school knows she's the headmaster's daughter. The rest of the evening went peacefully; Mari would occasionally ask about Kyoko's hobbies. As someone whose life revolved around solving homicide cases, her hobbies that weren't exactly fit for a dinning table. Thus, Kyoko explained briefly, glossing over the gruesome details of her occupation. She wondered if she tried hard enough, considering she caught a disapproving glance from her father. Even now, it appeared he still disliked detectives. Stupid.

Mari on the other hand, seemed enthralled with her stories; thinking Kyoko mature for her age. Kyoko had a sneaking suspicion that the woman _wanted_ to hear the disturbing details of her work and wasn't phased by it at all. The detective couldn't tell if the older woman was patronizing her or praising earnestly. If it was the former, there was no need for flattery nor was Kyoko fond if it; she'd rather prefer someone who was openly unpleasant than those who chose who hide it. Speaking of unpleasant - Togami said surprisingly little; not even a snide remark or condescending grin. One could say, the evening ended up so well because the children played a long with the farce.

"Why didn't you tell me she was related to Togami?" Kyoko asked her father once they left.

"You didn't know? Then why did you act like you did." The headmaster responded with a confounded look.

"Concealing shock is child's play. Answer the question, please."

"I didn't think I needed to. Ever since you were a little girl, you've always wanted to solve matters by yourself - If anything caught your interest, then you'd unravel every shred of detail. I...thought you'd have investigated on your own and made the connection."

She wanted to retort by saying he'd know nothing about her...but his words held weight. Kyoko was the type to investigate anything beforehand...however she wasn't at her best at this point in time.

Kyoko made a concessional nod.

"What did you think of Mari?" He asked.

"...A bit more overwhelming that I'd thought. It was like dealing with a queen." Kyoko noted...and then paused at what should have been an obvious realization.

Kyoko's father had taken interest in a Togami. To be precise, a former Togami as Kyoko learned, the family had a custom of culling off its own members for the sake of choosing the strongest. The woman her father met, shared that fate. She had assets and connections but was no longer entitled to their family name. That woman also happened to be Byakuya's biological mother. Byakuya Togami was going to be her step brother.

* * *

The next day, Hina harassed her for the details of the previous night. Kyoko didn't know why...no, she likely believed Asahina to be someone worth confiding in.

"That sounds like a pain." The swimmer said.

"It was. Though I'm still trying to figure out what kind of character Mari is." Kyoko smiled thinly, deliberately refraining of informing Hina of Togami's involvement last night. How they interacted here without any adult supervision would probably determine the true nature of their relationship. The moment of truth came when Togami walked inside the classroom. He and Kyoko traded glances for a brief moment but no more than that as the heir proceeded to ignore her and take a seat on the other side.

That was about what she expected. For both of us, this arrangement was indeed a pain.

"What was that?" Hina brought up, her head shifting between Kyoko and Togami.

"I'm not sure what you mean."

Huh, Aoi was surprisingly observant to have caught that short exchange. Kyoko felt a desire to test how observant.

"You and rich pants just had a moment."

"Would that be strange?"

"Don't give me that. You and Togami glared at each other at the same time...um, maybe not glare but that cold stare you guys do. Well, you do that all the time so..." Hina rambled, but she wasn't off the mark. Far from it, in fact.

"That's some impressive insight. Color me surprised." Kyoko said.

"Eh? You're praising me, right?" The donut enthusiast all but jumped for joy at the compliment. Kyoko followed up on her compliments...and felt somewhat guilty. The praise was genuine, but Kyoko really just wanted to steer her off-track and avoid any inferences being made involving Togami.

She succeeded and Hina didn't bring the affluent progeny up any further. Now the topic had shifted again to Kyoko's hobbies and preferences. This was a common course of conversation that the lavender-haired girl never seemed to prepare herself for. She didn't have normal hobbies or any notion of fun. Kyoko was little better than a social recluse.

"I don't have any interests in particular. And my hobbies are unpleasant for casual conversation." Kyoko stated the truth. She felt a tad disappointed with herself as those words left her mouth - as if she'd missed out on her childhood.

"Aw, that can't be right. Everybody has something they enjoy doing." Hina paused for a moment, before her lips twitched upwards into a teasing smirk. It vanished nearly as quickly as it came but Kyoko didn't miss that change. "Hey Kyoko, there's something I've been meaning to ask. Where do you go after school? You always get back to the dorms after dark."

Kyoko blinked. She'd forgotten Sakura had caught her once, her actions could easily have been discerned by others as well. Not like she'd made any proper effort to hide her escapades.

"Before I answer, what exactly do you plan to do with this information?"

"Don't keep me in the dark, Kyoko. You've definitely got a boyfriend waiting over there. Tell me about him already!" Hina pleaded, completely oblivious to Kyoko's bewildered expression.

Boyfriend? Where was she getting this? Makoto was a (hopefully) a good friend but she'd never thought of him in a romantic sense...although, she couldn't deny the boy speaking of other relationships such as his roommate or Maizono, instilled a bit of jealousy in her. Did she think of Makoto that way?

Noticing she had been silent a little too long, Kyoko posited Hina a question of her own. "What makes you think I would have a boyfriend?" That wasn't merely an attempt at dodging the question of whom, Asahina's tone suggested her having one was perfectly naturally. In Kyoko's opinion, it wasn't.

"You don't?" Hina replied. This was becoming a battlefield where questions were answered with only more questions.

"No. But why would I?"

"Uh...do you not _like_ boys?" The tanned-girl said suggestively, and quite clearly missed the point.

"Not like that. I want to know why you'd think I, of all people, would be dating." It was an honest and straightforward inquiry, yet judging by the swimmer's confused expression, that might have been wrongful assumption

"What do you mean? You're pretty. Your personality's cool _and_ cute. And your hair is great, I wish I had purple hair. Hey, think I should dye mine or would that make me look like a delinquent?"

Once again, Hina was utterly blind to the detective's surprise

"W-What? I- Cute does _not_ fit my personality." Kyoko couldn't even hide her embarrassment this time. So much for concealing shock being easy.

Kyoko was neither vain nor humble to a fault; she was aware of her attractive qualities but...to have someone say it out loud and unabashedly was a completely different story.

"Yes it is. You're doing it right now." Hina smiled a toothy grin.

Sensing this discussion was only going to tumble further downhill, Kyoko chose to end it and express how uncomfortable it made her. The swimmer would back down after that. Unfortunately, the words Hina posed to her still lingered on the mind all the way into the afternoon. It was the first time Kyoko had ever been asked about dating and she had never even considered the notion.

"I wonder what he'd think of it." Kyoko spoke aloud on the venture to the garden. He, referring to Makoto, of course. The skittish boy rarely talked about himself. If Kyoko were allowed to be presumptuous, his silence wasn't merely an attempt to hide aspects of his life but also that there wasn't much to say. Her basis? Makoto was a very poor liar and talkative by nature. That adorable was a part of him she'd grown to love...

Kyoko stopped in her tracks as she recounted her thoughts.

"Love? When did I start thinking of him that way?" Kyoko internally cursed Asahina for poisoning her mind with her ridiculous assertions. She was acting like some lovestruck ditz!

Makoto would laugh at her.

Kyoko smiled at the mental image she'd drawn up of her first friend. While picking up speed, Kyoko decided she would have hope for today. He'd already broken his promise for the allotted date and she wasn't going to let him off easy for that.

An impish smirk crossed her features as she thought of how to deal with Makoto: First she'd play on his guilt and make him squirm. Then bully him a little and finally force him to make up for all that lost time.

Who knows, he might already be waiting there for her. Kyoko knew she was being optimistic...but what was wrong with hoping for the best?

She really believed this...all the way until she arrived at the garden. A second of inspection was all it took for Kyoko to notice it.

Her eyes widened and she breathed harshly at the sight - The last of the cherry-blossoms had withered away completely. Only a husk remained to mark their departure.

No. To Kyoko, the deciduous tree looked more like a corpse now, having lost all of it's former splendor. Why did this occurrence bother her so much when it was seasonal occurrence? The reason was because the view of the Cherry-blossoms were a gift she would never have experienced without his advise.

**_("You told me that you disliked fall because it's an intermediate term without any worth of its own. I don't agree with that either…because there are things that happen at this time that have worth, you know. Come back to this place in a bit and you'll see what I mean but…wait too long and it'll pass you by.")_**

It certainly had passed, just as everything does. This had served as her wake up call.

What was she doing here, and why had she ignored the most likely possibility that stared her in the face? Everything passes away and everything dies. Why had she assumed he been optimistic enough to assume that he was any different, that he'd survived his operation?

**_("Okay. I'll see you in 15 days.")_**

Was that it? Had that childish promise really instilled so much faith in her? Kyoko thought she knew better. This wasn't the first time a man had broken their promises.

* * *

_"You're here again, Uncle Koichi." said a girl with white, braided hair. Her tone carried neither joviality or reprehension. _

_"That hurts, Kyoko. You could at least look a little happy to see me." Koichi Kizakura wore his patented white suit and fedora and crouched by the tiny girl. Rather than respond to his witticisms, she chose to approach a more constructive inquiry._

_"You don't smell again. Have you not been drinking? Are you okay?"_

_"Hey now. You make it sounds like alcohol is my life support." Koichi joked. "But I'm fine. Just been a bit busy lately, thanks for asking though."_

_Kyoko nodded_

_"What are you doing here by yourself?" Koichi wondered._

_"Waiting."_

_"For?"_

_"Jin." Kyoko answered. _

_"Calling your dad by his first name, you're one scary girl." Koichi laughed. The truth was that Kyoko never interacted with Jin formally. Her frankness wasn't intended to be a sign of disrespect, rather Kyoko felt she was close enough to Jin to treat him casually. It didn't help that she thought of him as a rival. A more experienced detective she looked up to and wanted to surpass when she got older. _ _And yet, that same man hadn't been home for a couple of days._

_"I see. You think he's coming back?" The fedora rubbed his chin._

_"Why not? Jin comes and goes all the time. He's just a little late." _

_"In that case, wouldn't you have a better chance waiting at home?"_

_"I want him to find me here." This park was a place where Kyoko and Jin played frequently. It was her favorite spot and she wanted him to be here to commemorate their reunion. "Don't tell Jin. He has to look by himself or It's no fun otherwise."_

_"My lips are sealed. But don't you think it's a liiitle dangerous here? There might be some nasty strangers around."_

_"I've got it covered." Kyoko pointed to the authorized adult female watching over the children._

_"Well, I suppose that helps but you can never be too careful."_

_"I am careful. She's just plan A. He's plan B." Kyoko pointed again, but this time to another child who watched the duo apprehensively._

_"What's he doing?" Koichi asked._

_"I give him candy if he acts as a lookout for me. If anyone weird shows up, he'll scream for help."_

_"Why didn't he scream when I showed up? I've never met him before."_

_"I told him it's fine if an old man with a dumb white hat shows up."_

_Koichi winced at her response. Sheesh, Kyoko doesn't hold back._

_"But I know he's just a kid and he might forget anyway. So for plan C, I use this." The little girl had a circular object in her palm and raised it to meet Koichi_

_"Shake." She said_

_Now Koichi was arguably more intuitive than most detectives. And while Kyoko's expression was neutral, he didn't miss that mischievous gleam in her eye._

_"...Oi. That isn't going to electrify me, is it?"_

_Kyoko's mouth formed a round 'O' "Uncle, you're smart."_

_"Jesus." Koichi tipped his fedora downwards to hide his eyes as sweat dripped from his forehead. "Your future husband's going to need to be one brave soul."_

_He was about 70% impressed and 30% terrified. "Well, seems like you've got everything (un)reasonably covered. I'll be on my way now."_

_As Koichi stood to leave, her small hand clutched against his suit._

_"Not yet. Let's wait for Jin together." Was a little girl's innocent wish._

_For a brief period, Koichi's features resembled pity but it didn't last. He knew Kyoko, child or not, was intelligent. If she sensed distress in his response, she would realize something was wrong. In a way, he __**wanted**__ her to realize. To realize that Jin wasn't coming back._

_"Sure, princess." He consented. From there, the awkward pair waited on a bench. One filled with hope. The other too conflicted to crush it._

_Eventually, Kyoko fell asleep, her head resting on Koichi's lap. The older man stroked the soon-to-be-detective's hair while she slept. _

_Koichi sighed. He hadn't lied when he said he'd been busy. His current occupation was a tiring one and he certainly didn't have the time to floundering about babysitting. He had two options. Stay and loose sleep later on from overwork...or leave and loose sleep from disappointing this angel and leaving her out in the cold by herself._

_He didn't make wrong choice. Of that, he was sure._

_Eventually, he carried Kyoko and decided to take her home. Her grandfather was probably worried, no thanks to his idiot son. Koichi knew the reason why Jin left and he could understand his friend's pain. Not only did Jin lose his wife to a tragedy but he also carried a sin too great to be overlooked._

_It pained Koichi to admit it...but yeah, his best friend was an idiot._

_..._

_Fuhito Kirigiri thanked Koichi for bringing his granddaughter home safely. Kyoko had left the house without him noticing. That by itself, was no cause for panic; Kyoko was extremely capable for her age and he could not have asked for a better granddaughter; she was a genius in every respect and had a sharp mind several years ahead of her age. However, for the first time since she was born, Fuhito was having immense difficulty raising her._

_That foolish son of his had left 2 months ago yet Kyoko still couldn't understand that he wasn't going to return. The problem was that Kyoko was too inquisitive, too logical. Much like all detectives in the family, they often had missions where they would be away from home for days, weeks and sometimes years. The longest Jin had ever been separated from Kyoko was a year. But that was enough...for Kyoko had experienced that separation and ingrained the timeframe into her memory. To her, a few months aren't enough to cause worry._

_Most children would have been brought to tears within a matter of hours but Kyoko was different. She hadn't even expressed any indication of sadness at her father's departure. In fact, he hadn't seen the girl cry since she was a baby. Kyoko had a tendency to seek logic and procession before coming to a conclusion. A wonderful talent for a detective but improper for a child. _

_"Fuhit- Grandpa." Fuhito turned around to see the girl in question standing behind him, rubbing her eyes. He frowned at her poor habit of calling him and her father by their given names. It was one of her very few failings._

_"Kyoko, where were you today?"_

_"Waiting for Jin at the park."_

_"...How many times do I have to tell you he's gone?" He said, wearily._

_Kyoko nodded as if she understood, but he knew she didn't. The words that came next served as evidence._

_"When will he back?" She asked._

_Fuhito sighed deeply. Kyoko could only believe in what she could see. A child who only valued whatever could be proven worthwhile. Fuhito could prove that her father had abandoned her but he certainly wasn't eager to. He cherished her more than anyone else in the world and he would be damned if he would be the cause of her tears._

_"Let's put you to bed."_

* * *

Kyoko left the garden and she had no intention of returning. Were it not for the book in her hands, she might very well have written Makoto off as a phantasm concocted by her desperation. She mocked her own stupidity.

As long as Kyoko could remember, she had never cried over her father's absence, because she earnestly believed he would return for over a year, without ever doubting him. That...wasn't normal, she knew that now. Other children would have exploded, then within days or months of coming to terms with their situation, lamented their parents' absence or cursed them with a passion.

What of her? She had waited like a machine for too long and by the time she caught onto the simple fact her father wasn't coming back, she had no idea how to deal with it. That was why she'd come to Hope's Peak to settle the score, and she couldn't manage anything even then.

She let out a hollow laugh. Perhaps she had broken somewhere along the line and never noticed.

Regardless, she wasn't the type to make the same mistake twice once she knew about it. Kyoko couldn't be sure of Makoto's fate; if his operation turned out for the worse then she would lament his passing. if he was alive then she would be happy, no matter what he did with his life.

However Kyoko could say with certainty, she wouldn't wait anymore. Not for him. Not for anyone.

-4 months later-

"Off with you." A police-officer clad in blue uniform dragged a struggling man away in handcuffs. The latter directed hateful stares her way that she'd seen countless times before. Kyoko couldn't even begin to care at this point and visibly sighed at the man's incompetence; he committed a pre-planned murder in broad daylight and is angry he got caught?

Kyoko's thoughts were disrupted by the vibrations of her cell phone. It was a text from Asahina, the girl always called to check in. Although Kyoko hadn't personally seen her in some time.

"That's the 6th catch this month. You Kirigiris really live up to hype." Takaaki Ishimaru, a police chief approached and congratulated her. Kyoko examined him with calculating eyes, searching for any falsehoods in his praise. She was aware the authorities were never pleased with having their cases taken off their hands by freelancers, private investigators or others from different precincts. But this man never exuded that hostility towards her. While Takaaki lacked the exuberance of his son, Kiyotaka, he nevertheless had a sense of justice equally as extreme. If the streets were kept safe, he'd be fine with whoever was responsible.

"You would have caught this one anyway, he was sloppy in covering his tracks. I merely saved you some time." Kyoko said.

"I'd like to say you're being humble, but you'd be right on this one. We already fingered Nakamura as the culprit last night and were waiting to ambush him at one of his favorite spots." Takaaki chuckled.

Kyoko gave a non-committal shrug. At least her assessment of their competence was accurate.

"Moving on, are there are any other cases available?" She asked.

Takaaki blinked in mild surprise "You're looking for more?"

He took Kyoko's silence as his answer and scratched his hair.

"Listen, my subordinates are professionals and work tirelessly trying to solve these cases. I can't keep handing them out like candy to a kid."

"That's their problem for being too slow to achieve results, it is not _my_ problem." Kyoko's eyes narrowed.

"That's not what I meant, and I'm not trying to belittle your talent." Takaaki frowned, perturbed by the sudden antagonism. "I'm _saying _that this job isn't easy, even for the best men, yet you've been churning out solved cases like clockwork for months. That can't be easy and it must be time-consuming. Time I don't figure a _student_ has on her hands."

Ah, now Kyoko had an idea where this lecture was heading, as well as the cause.

"Kiyotaka's informed you of my absences from school, hasn't he?" Kyoko concluded.

"Yeah. I know it's not Kiyotaka's business but he's got a good heart. Too good sometimes and right now, he's worried about you."

Asking your parents to look after your classmates had to be one amazingly embarassing request, but the ultimate moral compass was nothing if not awkward. Takaaki was right though. Kiyotaka had a good heart and was a much better person than Kyoko was.

"Frankly, so am I. You went at a steady pace for a while, balancing school and work but ever since the new year, it's like a fire lit under you. I've seen this kind of progress from some of my men and...well, the cause is usually fatalistic in nature."

It took more effort than Kyoko would have liked to suppress a reaction to Takaaki's statement.

"I appreciate your concern...but it's misplaced. I can look after myself." It wasn't exactly the most mature response but she wasn't going to make excuses.

Takaaki sighed. "I had a feeling you'd say that. Fine, here's the dossier on a new crime scene down Maika street, this one should be right up your alley."

Kyoko attempted to take the file from Takaaki's hands until the latter hesitated

"One thing first. This is the last case you're getting from me for the next month. And I've ordered all the men at the precinct not to provide you with any investigative assistance; that includes autopsy reports or the coroners."

Kyoko arched an eyebrow. "Why?" She referred not to just the measures taken to hinder her work but also the arbitrary timeframe enforced on her.

"It's exam period. Be a good kid and focus on your studies." Takaaki crossed his arms.

Kyoko's let out a frustrating sigh. She honestly felt like telling him off for acting like he was her father, but in truth, this was more consideration than Kyoko's _own_ father had shown her.

"I get it. Tell Kiyotaka I'll be in class tomorrow." Kyoko conceded. Not bothering to accept the dossier. She'd find more work using her own sources.

The police chief grinned with satisfaction.

* * *

"Kyoko!" Hina nearly tackled the detective as soon as she stepped into class in the morning.

"T-That's enough. It's nice to see you too." Kyoko wasn't fond of physical contact. The swimmer knew this and separated as soon as she could, which was not soon enough for Kyoko's comfort.

"Where've you been?"

"I was busy with work." Kyoko replied.

"Too busy to show up to class?"

"Yes." She wasn't one to mince words and there was truth to her affirmation. Kyoko had slacked off on her duties, causing a number of cases to pile up. However, what she didn't say was that those cases weren't mandatory. They just kept her skills sharp.

The swimmer sighed. "I guess I can see it. You _do_ look tired."

"Is it noticeable?" Kyoko frowned. She may not have been one to care for appearances, but she cared even less about giving away weakness - but if Hina had seen through her then she must have been quite the sorry sight.

Hina shook her head to the side. "I don't mean your face, you look the same. You're giving off a worn-out impression to me. Don't tell me you're overworking yourself?"

Kyoko paused. Her friend's observations were on the mark, even if her methods were a bit sloppy. As far as Kyoko knew, Asahina had no proper deductive training thus she could only be functioning off instinct or innate talent. That was the mark of every decent detective...but Kyoko dismissed the thought. Someone as kind as Hina didn't have a place in that world.

"For what it's worth, I see you hitting the jackpot in the future, Kyoko." Yasuhiro Hagakure interjected, lacking the decency to mask his eavesdropping.

"Elaborate?" Kyoko instantly regretted indulging the clairvoyant. Every word that came out of his mouth taxed her sanity...and she was pretty sure she'd end up arresting him in the future.

"My divination showed me you'd be president of some company, and they're almost never wrong." Fair reminder that Yasuhiro was wrong 70% of the time. Kyoko merely nodded at his words and finally took a seat. Kyoko only planned to attend classes till exam periods were over. Be it acting as a detective or studying, the means weren't relevant. She just needed an activity that would prevent her mind from wandering.

"Say, Kyoko..." Yasuhiro called out.

"What?"

"That fortune costs 10 000 yen."

Kyoko _stared _

"...M-Make that 1000?"

* * *

"You've got another thing coming if you think I'm going anywhere with you, bitch." The foul-mouthed crook brandished a knife at Kyoko, who merely watched him exasperatedly. She found herself quite the predicament.

Masashi Kuraudo, this particular criminal had no (known) crime pertaining to violence; her discoveries suggested he was just a drug-dealing bum selling marijuana. But that in of itself warranted caution. Weed wasn't easy to come across here nowadays. That means he needs to have a suppler and she'd be sure to get it out of him.

It had taken a few days but Kyoko managed to pin-point the time and place of his next deal. The location was a hotspot for thugs and It was currently a little past midnight...but it couldn't be helped. This was her best chance to nab him.

What Kyoko didn't expect however was to see the man pointing his knife at a boy he knocked to the ground. She presumed the latter was to be the buyer and the deal had gone wrong somewhere. The boy had short black hair covered by a cap of matching color. His clothes were black too. Not exactly one for variety.

Then again, who was she to talk?

Not willing to have a murder where she could see it, Kyoko blew her cover and confronted the man in the open and that led to the current situation.

Kyoko sighed. She just wished he'd have done it the easy way. She reached for the bottom on her right glove and pressed down on a circular switch.

"Well...whenever you're ready." Kyoko _almost_ sounded bored as she gave the offender the go-ahead. In reality, she was just sleep-deprived and it was starting to get to her.

Of course, there was no way for the man to know that and took her words as condescension. In Kyoko's experience, men either react one or two ways in these scenarios. They lash out of indignation after feeling a heavy to blow their pride. The other is that they shrink back in fear and calmly analyze the situation; they believe composure is an indication that she has a trick up her sleeve and should be approached with caution. The latter were both easier and harder to deal with. Easier when they knew they'd be better off giving up and harder if they're actually competent enough to do something about their situation. Like say...taking the boy as a hostage? That would be a pain.

A lot of Kyoko's recent encounters attacked too wildly, never considering the option of negotiation, even in cases where they had nothing to lose. Kyoko would be lying if she said these brawls weren't exhausting. If she were to put an approximate number, she'd gotten into twenty of these situations since the start of the year. She halfheartedly hoped this man would be different. It was mental struggle on a contradictory scale. The dilemma between not wanting to waste whatever little energy she had on a fight and wanting to fight so she wouldn't have to think about anything else.

Kyoko didn't have to think long for, like all the rest, this man clearly belonged to the first category. He tried to rush at her.

_Good grief._

Kyoko side-stepped the knife edge thrust towards her, along with the man's entire body. From there, she merely touched him and an electric current was sent throughout his body. Kuraudo writhed painfully on the floor.

"Never leaving home without this." Kyoko referred to the electrifying glove she'd fashioned from one of the technicians at Hope's Peak. Miu Iruma, if she remembered the name correctly. It was a convention straight out of science-fiction and Kyoko wouldn't have believed such a thing existed...then again, a shock glove was probably tame compared to whatever the inventor usually spent her time on. All it took was a press of the button and the fingertips discharged electricity to mimic a stun gun.

Kyoko couldn't interrogate the man in his current condition, so she'd just have to incapacitate him, get the information she needs and then hand him off to the police. Fairly standard procedure. She brought out a pair of handcuffs and motioned for the man's wrists.

"Watch out!" The boy yelled out in panic.

The detective couldn't have anticipated the man would convulse and fling his knife towards her from that position. Kyoko's eyes widened. Her breath hitched. The awkwardly thrown knife just _barely_ made contact with her neck and sheared through strands of lavender hair.

Kyoko paid no mind to the sound of the blade hitting the nearby wall but instinctively brought her hands to her neck. Fortunately, she possessed just enough composure to not touch the open wound with the shocked glove. She had received a light cut; nothing to fear.

She stared angrily at the man, only to find he was unconscious. That hadn't been an intentional reaction but an ill-timed muscle spasm, thus she couldn't hold him culpable. It was her own fault for being careless.

"Are you alright..." The pale-skinned boy asked.

That was a stupid question - She thought

"Uh...never mind, that was a stupid question." He continued. Kyoko would give him points for noticing.

"What are you doing here? Depending on your answer, you'll end up just like him." She motioned to the fallen man.

"W-Wait, it's not what it looks like." He stutters. "I'm a detective...in...training."

Skeptical couldn't begin to describe her expression.

"I'm telling the truth. My name is Shuichi Saihara and I've been on Kuraudo's tracks for months. I recently figured out the pattern of his movements and went undercover to set up a drug bust."

No sooner than a second after he finished his excuse, Kyoko approached Saihara (who was still on his knees), cupped his chin with a gloved hand and pulled it upwards.

"E-Eh?" He spluttered.

Saihara was too squeamish for her tastes and that kind of behavior only provoked two conclusions; he was lying outright to cover his ass or he was timid and inexperienced. She would have preferred the first because that way she could get information out of him, but the second was just as likely. Saihara already claimed to be a novice and his appearance was too...clean, to be a drug addict; he looked nothing like Yasuhiro.

"That's quite a bold move...for someone with no capacity to protect himself." Kyoko admonished

"Ah...about that. I was going to knock him out with that shot put ball over there, but I didn't think he'd figure me out so quickly. I lost my chance." He flushed. Kyoko's eyes trailed to the side and she saw the weapon in question.

Deciding his testimony checked out, Kyoko released Saihara and gave him an opportunity to stand.

"But forget about me. That knife barely missed you." He raised his voice.

Right...he'd seen that sorry display

"I don't mean to excuse my carelessness but my performance usually isn't that sloppy."

"Forget your performance. You were almost _killed_!" He was sure making a big deal about this...but still...

"...Killed...me?" The notion set off an emotion Kyoko couldn't describe, so she simply accepted it. "I suppose you're right."

"That's all?" Saihara blinked in disbelief

"I don't believe there's more to say. More importantly, I'm impressed you managed to find Kuraudo before me. I'll let you have him then after I get the information I need." Kyoko said. If Saihara was a novice then he'd need the prestige more than she did. Not like she ever cared about fame, she just wanted to know the truth.

The female detective moved towards the drug dealer and kicked him in the gut, forcing him awake. A few...minor threats here and there and she was able to make him spill out the information she wanted; he seemed rather terrified of her and she couldn't help but wonder why (it couldn't have been the way she glared at his lower regions suggestively with a shocker) . He blathered on about some new underground drug ring. Certainly valuable information but more importantly, he informed her that some of their men were tasked with distracting the police with random crimes across the city.

That information was more worthwhile and explained the questionable rise in blatant offences lately. Unfortunately, Kuraudo wouldn't divulge a name...

"You can call the authorities now." Kyoko said to Saihara, who'd been utterly mystified by the interrogation

"She's...amazing." Shuichi exhaled once Kirigiri was out of sight.

...

On the way to the dorms, Kyoko caressed the stinging wound on her neck. She was quick to leave the scene before anyone noticed her injury. Kiyotaka's father finding about that wouldn't have been good for her mental health.

Kyoko wanted nothing more than to sleep once she entered her room...if she could at least.

* * *

Class 78's reception to Kyoko's entrance the next morning was...shocking to say the least. The class was loud when she walked in but a within a few steps inside the door, it devolved into total silence. Kyoko peered her head up to see them all staring at her in bewilderment.

"What is it?" She asked.

"What the fuck is up with your neck?" Mondo exclaimed, and she had half a mind to ignore him outright. Kyoko had wrapped her neck around with thin white bandages as soon as she returned to her room. She didn't think her injury would garner this much attention so she hadn't prepared an excuse.

No, that didn't make sense. A neck injury was something even a stranger would notice, much less her classmates. The truth more likely involved lethargy; she was _too tired_ to think of an excuse.

"It's a minor wound." Kyoko omitted a few details here and there.

"I don't think any kind of neck injury is a minor problem. A-And your complexion doesn't look great, no offense." Chihiro stuttered, seeming to have difficulty stating his opinion without crossing into a territory that might offend the other party.

Kyoko frowned. Did she really need to defend herself this early in the morning? The only consolation was that Hina hadn't spoken up yet. Although, her baffled stare may not have been much better.

She paid their surprise no further mind and sat next to the Togami heir. She approached him instinctively because he distanced himself from the others even more than she did and he was unlikely pay any mind to her. As of right now, his reproachful personality made him the perfect cover.

Within no more than a few minutes, Kyoko drifted off into a deep sleep on her desk, completely unaware of Togami's lingering gaze.

Togami wasn't the only one. The others took notice of her bizarre actions and didn't really know how to react. All except one, as Kiyotaka frowned at the idea of anyone sleeping in the middle class.

With a cough of his throat, everyone in the room nearly blanched as they realized what was coming next.

"Kiri-" Kiyotaka's words came out as muffled noises as Leon crossed over and palmed his mouth.

"Not now, dumb ass." The athlete hissed at the prefect's lack of tact.

"Yeah, Taka. Give it a rest for today. Did you see that chick? Not even Mukuro's pasty butt is _that_ pale." Junko added.

"J-Junko, don't tell everyone!" The older sister flustered.

"I don't think she was telling the truth about her injury." Sayaka said, hoping to veer the topic back on course.

"Obviously. If Kyoko wasn't hiding anything then she wouldn't have had so much difficulty explaining herself." Celeste said off-hand while she balanced a playing card on the tip of her nail. Otherwise, she expressed little interest in the detective's predicament.

"Perhaps she's hiding something so devious that her identity would be compromised were we to find out. Like a split personality?" Hifumi said.

"D-Don't be an idiot. Split personalities only exist in s-stupid fiction." Toko snapped "S-She's probably just depressed. Maybe even tried cutting herself."

Hina yelped upon hearing Toko's words. Everyone thought she'd been oddly quiet.

"Um...I definitely don't see Kyoko as the type to hurt herself." Sayaka frowned, shooting down the author's suggestion.

"Yup. If anyone loves slittin' wrists, it's either bookie who evidently didn't take a bath today...or you, Mukuro, who _also_ probably didn't take a bath today. Funny that." Junko faced her sister. The latter raised her hands defensively.

"Junko, You don't have to direct _every_ backhanded comment to your sister, y'know." Yasuhiro scratched his hair.

"Not a bad idea, Hiro~. But if I can't bully Muku, someone'll need to take her place. Does this mean you're volunteering?" Junko smiled darkly.

"N-Never mind." The clairvoyant cowered and stared into his crystal ball. "Just don't say I didn't warn you when she grows up into something you can't control."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Junko arched an eyebrow. Her question went unanswered.

"I agree with Sayaka, Kyoko would never immolate herself. It's out of the question." While Sakura really did believe this, she vocalized her opinion to assuage Asahina of her fears.

"Have any of you cretins even considered that she might have been wounded on the job?" Byakuya stated, capturing the room's attention. If their gazes bothered him, he didn't show it. Nor did he bother to elaborate on his words.

"Dick's got a point. I get injured playing all the time. Doesn't Kyoko go around catching baddies?" Leon's tone suggested he had a surprising revelation. That he'd never considered what being a detective meant in Kyoko's case and even less that she could get injured. Kyoko gave off this invincible aura and she was a kid. Bad shit never happens to kids.

That sentiment on some level, was shared by the majority of the class, save Byakuya, Junko, Sakura and Mukuro. The four were not unfamiliar with how dangerous and unpredictable the world is.

"Now that you mention it. My father said a freelance detective worked with Kyoko to take down yet another criminal late last night but left before he could speak with her. Apparently, the man was armed with a knife." Kiyotaka said, stunning the others.

"That's probably true." Celeste spoke up. "I was going for a stroll rather late in the night at around 2:00 am. I spotted Kyoko returning to the dorms around that time and she was covering the side of her neck."

Silence permeated the room.

"Let me get this straight. Are you trynna say this dude might have shanked Kyoko _in the neck_?" Mondo couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"If the shoe fits..." Junko stared at her nails.

"Then she's been doing something this d-dangerous the whole time?" Chihiro cried.

"...If we're going to be fair here, there shouldn't be a problem _because_ Kyoko must have been dealing with situations like these for a long time. She should know how to take care of herself, that's how experience works." Mukuro voiced her opinion

"Does she _look_ like she's handling it well?" Hina yelled, to their surprise.

The swimmer balled her hands into fists

"Hina, calm down." Sakura said with her eyes closed. "Getting angry solves nothing and Kyoko wouldn't approve either."

"I know that but...she needs my help. Something hurt her and I'm sick of ignoring it!"

Mukuro and Sayaka averted their eyes. They knew exactly what the tanned girl was referring to, even if she nor the others were aware of the details. But that couldn't be helped...Makoto hadn't woken up for months, thus they said nothing. Junko knew as well and she felt some minute admiration for Aoi for figuring out as much as she did, despite having little information to go on. In respect to that, Junko could intervene.

"If you want to help. I think you should have her looked at by the medical ward. I'll introduce you to Mikan." The fashionista grinned.

"Thanks, Junko."

Byakuya watched the exchange with distaste. The fools had forgotten they were supposed to be quiet.

He peered over towards Kyoko and surmised she slept through the whole farce. What a disappointment. Others schemed around her in plain sight while she slept. If that wasn't a sign of weakness then he didn't know what was. Someone like this was to be his relative?

"Ridiculous."

* * *

At Hina's relentless orders, Kyoko found herself in HPA's medical ward. The stoic wasn't sure how but Asahina deduced her injury was a bigger deal than she let on. Kyoko didn't voice much of an argument against as she still felt pain in the thin area where the knife cut. What she did feel, was a tinge of humiliation and anxiety.

She _never _got injured and she never got sick either. She occasionally paid visits to the hospital to interrogate wounded victims, suspects or their families but this is the first time since she could remember that she came to be treated herself. It was undoubtedly a foreign experience and one she could do without.

"M-Ms. Kirigiri? I'm ready to see you."

Kyoko faced the source of the awkward stutter. She recognized the girl as Mikan Tsumiki, the ultimate nurse. Kyoko had never spoken to her upperclassman before but she had often passed her in the halls. At times, the detective found herself fascinated by the absurdity of the nurse's accidents. The position Tsumiki took when she tripped...Kyoko wouldn't have believed they were humanely possible.

The nurse ripped off the bandage around Kyoko's neck, much to the latter's discomfort. The pain worsened when Tsumiki slid her fingers over the slit. Her attention turned to Kyoko's eyes soon after, where she examined the bottom of her eyelids.

"Ms. Kirigiri, I think you might have an infection." Was her diagnosis.

"You think?" Kyoko furrowed her brows. Uncertainty wasn't exactly what any patient wanted to hear from the medical staff.

"I-I mean, you definitely do. F-Forgive me!"

Kyoko blinked. She hadn't meant to upset the other girl. The thought "was it alright for such a meek person to work here?" crossed Kyoko's mind for an instant, only to be dispelled by what Tsumiki said next.

"Could you tell me where the k-knife came from? As in, if it was dirty or anything?"

She'd accurately deduced the weapon without Kyoko saying so. Perhaps there was more to the nurse that meets the eye.

"I was attacked so I can't say where his knife had been." Thus she couldn't disprove the possibility of an infection. Just great.

"Did you disinfect the wound afterwards?"

Kyoko paused again, realizing that she was off her game today. She hadn't actually done that, all she could think about was getting sleep. The bandages she'd wrapped around her neck were done haphazardly, after all.

"No."

"That explains the infection but um, have you been sleeping well lately?"

"I'd be lying if I said yes. On average, I've had about 3 hours of sleep lately."

"H-How long is lately?"

"...4 months."

Tsumiki yelped "T-That's a problem. A-At our age, we need 8 hours of sleep regularly!"

"It's not for a lack of trying. Sleep doesn't come to me easily as it used to."

"What solutions have you tried?"

Kyoko tilted her head. "I spend the hours I'm awake productively and sleep whenever I can."

"T-That's not a treatment!" Kyoko could see she'd been answering wrongly to Tsumiki's questions. The nurse trepidation had been steadily increasing since they began.

"What would you suggest?" Kyoko got right down to the point.

"Insomnia is usually caused by mental health problems like stress and can exacerbate them in turn. Maybe you should see a therapist?"

"Out of the question." The detective narrowed her eyes and shot the suggestion down. She was _not_ mentally unstable.

"Forgive me!" Tsumiki backed away.

"You...haven't done anything wrong." Kyoko deadpanned and tried calming the other girl down.

"B-But you know...sleep deprivation also weakens y-your immune system, which means you can get sick easier and the infection you _do_ have, will take longer to heal. Even with medicine."

Kyoko frowned. That was something she didn't want to hear and it looks like she was backed into a corner.

"How about sleep medicine?" Kyoko posited.

"That's an alternative, but I'm not sure if it's safe." It was enough for Tsumiki to consider it. Kyoko just needed to give one final push.

"If it's a viable option then I'll take it. I'm aware of the risks." Sleeping pills could be addictive but she wasn't remotely weak enough to fall prey to substance abuse.

"Alright but...any medication must be taken in the hospital. And that means you'll have to be coming back for checkups." Tsumiki made her conditions.

"Must I?" This sounded like a pain.

"Yes." Tsumiki replied adamantly, her tone suggested there was no further room for argument. There really was more to this girl than at first glance. Then again, that might have always been the case. Kyoko was good at solving cases, discerning motives but she never knew the people themselves.

That reminded her of an argument she had with Makoto on a mystery novel. She figured the culprit was the father masquerading as a victim while he leaned towards the maid. By all means, the evidence supported her viewpoint...

_**("You're reaching, the story barely touched on that subplot. You can't just overlook emotions when it comes to mysteries when that's what drives the culprit's motives." )- **_Were his naive words.

For a moment, Kyoko's lips formed a smile. And she would have to stress that it was only for a moment. The smile vanished as quickly as it came and was replaced by a deep-rooted disappointment.

"Tsumiki, I'll be taking those sleeping pills now."

"Eh? A-Already?"

"Yeah. I'll be borrowing a hospital bed too. I trust that won't be a problem?"

"N-No, ma'am." Tsumiki bowed and quickly exited the room. That was the most frightened the nurse had been all day.

Kyoko sighed. This was why she hated letting her mind wander. The only memories she had were painful ones.

* * *

She woke up in the hospital bed later that night. Kyoko was actually thankful for her trip here, as she felt more energized now than she had in ages. But she had no intention of making this a habit.

Kyoko searched for a vending machine to accommodate her thirst. She found one, however it was occupied by another patient.

"Darn. It would seem my luck just doesn't work anymore." His voice was wheezy and his tone carried self-mockery.

"Allow me." Kyoko said, as she inserted two coins and pressed on the machine. Two cans came out and she handed one to the boy.

"Thank you. Now I feel great."

Kyoko wondered if he was really all that grateful, for it was as if the mere act of drinking caused him extreme pain. Now that she got a good look, his skin was deathly pale, and of a similar caliber as his ashen hair. He was abnormally skinny and his eyes, a dull grey.

Kyoko was far from a doctor but as a homicide specialist since before the age of 10, she was surrounded by enough death to see this boy was very close to it. Kyoko didn't voice her pity; she was well aware that few things were more humiliating than a stranger feeling sorry for you.

"I don't think I've ever seen you around here before. Are you new?"

"I hope not. I was forced by a classmate to check in here and so here I am." Kyoko explained, eyes closed.

"Ah, then you're an Ultimate too." Kyoko picked up on the boy's jubilation upon hearing she attended the school. It wasn't too surprising, given Ultimates were held on a high pedestal across the nation...but he implied he too, was an Ultimate. She had never seen him around campus. Simple deduction told her that a severe illness was most likely the reason.

"Then it's nice to meet you. I'm..." He came to a halt midway into his introduction "This is embarrassing to admit, however I can't remember my name at the moment, sorry."

Kyoko's eyes widened slightly. He had dementia?

"It's not a problem. I'm Kyoko Kirigiri." She would return the courtesy, even if it unintentionally fell apart on his end. However, the boy's exultation diminished somewhat. His eyes hardened slightly. His lips formed a light frown. All those cues were minor but Kyoko didn't miss them.

"It's pleasure to meet you, Kirigiri." He smiled, but she wondered if it was real. "I'll be off now. Please, pay _us_ visit if you drop by again."

Kyoko was about to ask the meaning behind the plurality but was cut off by him.

"I remembered." He said out of the blue, as if surprised himself.

"...Your name?" Kyoko posited

"Yeah. It's Nagito Komaeda. I am the Ultimate Lucky Student...I think." And with that he walked off.

Kyoko stood there, caught up in her own ruminations. He was supposed to be lucky? The detective didn't know if she could agree with that. Rather, she felt as if the title was closer to a curse. After all, Makoto was supposed to claim that title and...

Why am I thinking about him?

Kyoko sighed, and then looked at the direction the patient left in.

Nagito Komaeda...an insincere man.

* * *

The next few days invoked a frustrating change in Kyoko's life. Her father had stumbled onto her medical reports and from there, also learned that she'd broken curfew on far too many occasions. He decided that she would be barred from the dorms and re-assigned elsewhere on campus where she would be supervised. Surprisingly, Kyoko didn't feel much resentment towards him anymore. If Jin Kirigiri wanted to play the role of a father figure for the first time in over a decade then she didn't care to stop him. However, that by no means meant she'd completely forgiven him or that their relationship had been patched up. If anything, it was the extreme on the other end of the spectrum. Rather than overcome her dislike for the man, the flames of her hatred had burnt itself out completely.

Her petty grudge wasn't worth holding onto.

The exterior of the building she'd been relocated to was better kept than she expected. If anything, it looked of a higher quality than the regular dorms, and only about a quarter the size; which was still sizable given dorms housed every student in the academy pertaining to their gender. The interior was extravagant enough to make the idea of this being a punishment, laughable. Unless, her father had something _else_ planned.

Which he apparently did, when Kyoko met the other resident in the living room.

"...What are you doing here, Togami?" She addressed the affluent progeny, who occupied himself with a set of books on a finely crafted chair.

"I don't understand the meaning of the question. Is there something wrong with me being in my home?" He replied with all-too-natural condescension, not even bothering to take his eyes off his reading.

If Kyoko was a betting woman..."You spent money to live here instead of the boy's dorms and my father realizing there was space, chose to have us live here together. Probably in some vain attempt at establishing a sibling relationship."

"For once, I'm grateful that you're not quite as imbecilic as all the rest, because I certainly wasn't keen on explaining the details. If you understand the situation then behave yourself and don't inconvenience me any more than you already have."

"I don't know what my father said to gain your consent but I only have this to say." Kyoko sent him an icy glare. "Stay out of my way."

"What a coincidence, I was about to say the same." Togami returned it with one of his own. "Curfew starts at 9 pm. Breach it and I'll inform the headmaster."

With the boundaries between them defined, Kyoko traveled up the stairs...and returned a few minutes later with a pensive look

"...Which one is my room?" She asked. Of course, this place would be unreasonably spacious.

"They're all free. The one farthest down the hallway is mine." No doubt the best room in the building, she imagined.

She wordlessly thanked him. However, he spoke again before she could leave.

"Kirigiri." Togami said, while Kyoko detected a faint trace of amusement in his voice.

"What?"

"How do you plan to unpack?" She could visualize the smug grin plastered on the blonde's face. And what she wouldn't give to smack it away.

"You'll be helping me." Kyoko replied matter-of-factly, as if that had been her intention all along.

...

It had taken the entire afternoon for Kyoko to getting most of her belongings unpacked. That was honestly shorter than she'd expected, thanks to the aid of Togami's bought henchmen. Sleep appeared out of the question and it was already late at night.

Kyoko chose to spend her time thinking about the information she'd procured from that thug. A crime boss was seeking to expand his influence in the city and that was a very big deal. But she had a lead now. Kuraudo and other captured men were willing to...were _deployed_ with full knowledge of their duties as diversions. These men would have acquired jail time for the sake of this undisclosed figure - That suggests the reward must be worth the effort, and in most cases that means money. Lots of money.

That narrows the demographic somewhat. Kyoko wouldn't find information on financially high-status civilians the normal way. She didn't have those kind of connections, thus the most she could do was try to wring up offenders and extract the knowledge she required before the police did. And even that, is now made difficult thanks to nighttime restrictions Kyoko currently has to follow.

This was quite the punishment indeed. She'd give her father that. It was fine that he ran away from his detective duties but that didn't mean he had to impede her own.

Kyoko frowned. Sulking never helped; she needed to take action.

* * *

Her insomnia progressed as usual, Kyoko only had around 4 hours of sleep before her alarm woke her in the morning. She slipped out of bed, wearing only her black lingerie. Even in her groggy state, she navigated through the unfamiliar building in search of the washroom. Though she would soon regret that her mental capacity stopped there. Kyoko forgot that she was sharing this place with another of the opposite sex, which wasn't allowed in the dorm barracks.

That's why it came as a surprise when she twisted the washroom door handle and came face to face with, what she could imagine Toko Fukawa would call, 'the boundless glory of Byakuya Togami's naked body'. Okay, that's a lie. Fukawa would have gone into a lot more detail with this description. And Kyoko would necessarily berate said author's verbosity in this instance.

Kyoko stared at him with a blank expression, which was shamefully more difficult than she'd like to admit.

"Why is there only one shower room?" She tried to maintain eye contact. Key word being _tried_.

"_Because I was the only one meant to be living here_." He rolled his eyes, not bothering to cover himself. "If you want to improvise, there's a Jacuzzi down stairs."

_This man's priorities are insane._

"I'll leave you to finish changing." Kyoko closed the door and within a few steps, noticed she wasn't exactly in a proper state of dress herself.

What a way to start the day.

"...I suppose his pride isn't entirely unwarranted."

...

After dressing up, both Kyoko and Togami walked to class together. It wasn't that they arranged to leave at the same time. It just happened to end up this way.

"You take an absurd time to get dressed for a guy."

"Perfection is never rushed."

They carried out a pointlessly normal conversation, as if the incident in the morning mattered little.

That was blatantly false. Mature impressions aside, Kyoko was still a teenage girl and the sight of a naked man shocked her. However, any feelings of embarrassment were suppressed by one craving - and that desire applied to Togami as well. It was a matter of pride that demanded they conform to above average standards on nearly every occasion, thus their thoughts aligned for the first time in the form of a single decree:

_I definitely, absolutely, unquestionable refuse to ever succumb to that stupid cliche! _

That was when Kyoko felt a chill running down her back.

"Don't turn around." Togami ordered, keeping his eyes peeled forward.

"You feel it too?" The sensation of being watched.

"Kirigiri...what do you do with a cockroach you can't exterminate nor can you run away from."

"Ah, it's Toko then." His silence gave her the answer she needed. "I wouldn't want her to get the wrong idea, so I'll split up here."

"No you don't!" He grabbed her shoulder.

Kyoko waited for an explanation behind the sudden action

"Usually, that pervert approaches me by now, but today she's kept her distance." He said, almost frightened. Kyoko was more surprised that he'd noticed the author before she did...wait...

"...The question you posed earlier. About the cockroaches. The answer is..."

"Yes. Insect repellent." He smirked triumphantly.

"You're a real piece of work."

"You should be rejoicing for being of use to Byakuya Togami. Few receive that honor."

* * *

"He didn't talk." Kyoko muttered, referring to the man she'd laid unconscious. He was another potential lead that ended up a dead end. At least this one wasn't smart enough to run so she required minimal effort taking him down.

"Don't move!" A voice said from behind

When has that ever worked?

Kyoko slipped away from her assailant and elbowed him in the gut. Kyoko placed a hand on her hip after getting a good look at the figure clutching his stomach, one knee on the ground.

"Aren't you...Saihara?" She said.

"Geez...oh, it's you." He scampered off the ground.

"You...wouldn't happen to be competing with me, right?" Kyoko's lips thinned.

"...Even if you say that, I don't think I could keep up with you."

Kyoko cocked her head, unsure of where this sudden perception of her originated from.

"I see you already caught Godo." Saihara stated the obvious.

"Yes, and only a little earlier than you this time. You're more competent than I give you credit for, Saihara."

"Y-You're exaggerating, I'm still just a run of the mill newbie."

"If an everyday rookie is somehow only one step behind me then I'm slacking more than I thought."

"You can't be serious. I'm nothing compared to you." He flailed his arms around as a blush crept on his cheeks.

"You should have more confidence in your own skills." Come to think of it, Saihara was aware of the drug ring just as she was. As things stand, he could be a useful asset. Kyoko offered a proposal of cooperation between them.

"We'll share information as to not mix up our targets and get closer to the mastermind. We'll split the reward evenly, regardless of how much either of us contributes. Does that sound fair?" Kyoko said.

"O-Of course, but are you sure you're fine partnering up with me?" He hid his face behind his cap.

"Like I said a moment ago, fix that confidence. If I didn't think you were worth the effort, I wouldn't be speaking to you right now.,,or are you implying I'm the type to waste time?"

Saihara froze, thinking he'd insulted her.

"That was a joke." Kyoko smirked "But I suppose it's true you're lacking a bit physically." The stoic brought out an item and left in the boy's hands.

"What's this?"

"A taser. I've used these since I was a kid."

"T-Thanks." Saihara didn't miss the trace of fondness in her tone and laughed awkwardly.

"Let's trade numbers." Kyoko said.

...

"Isn't that going a little fast?" Saihara's voice rose

Kyoko stared at him strangely. "How else are we supposed to communicate?"

"O-oh right. But can I ask just one thing first?"

"Shoot."

"Y-Your name?" There was that blush again.

"Ah, pardon me. I'm Kyoko Kirigiri."

* * *

"You're following me again?" Kyoko miffed on the way to morning class. Once again walking side by side with the affluent progeny.

"Don't whine and keep walking." Togami growled

"How surprising to see 'the esteemed' Byakuya Togami reduced to this, just because of one lovestruck romanticist." Kyoko berated. It wasn't even worth teasing, his fear of Toko Fukawa seemed too genuine to make light of it. This was the 4th time this week.

"Do not humanize that _thing_ by proclaiming her actions as any sort of appropriate affection. She's a professional stalker, no more and no less."

"Why don't you tell her to stop? I think she's been glaring at me suspiciously in class and that is not comfortable." In fact, while Kyoko couldn't see the author, she could feel those glares right now. Kyoko had to admire her dedication to keeping a schedule.

"You think I haven't tried that?" He said, stupefied.

"I don't mean to offend (she did) but your communication skills are lacking."

"You're the last person that should tell me that."

"Guess we finally have something in common." Kyoko shrugged

"Kyoko!"

The detective turned her head to the side to see Hina running towards them, with her hands raised her high. The innocent sight brought a rare smile to Kyoko's face.

"Good morning." The lilac-haired girl greeted.

"Morning." Hina beamed. Although her smile dipped when she glanced over Kyoko. Her eyes darted back and forth between her and Togami.

"Huh...I didn't know you guys were so close...or talked...or acknowledged each other's presence whatsoever." Hina's head tilted to the side.

"It's your imagination." "You're delusional." The recipients replied at the same time. Sadly, that only raised the swimmer's suspicion.

Kyoko shot Togami a look that said she'd handle it.

"Our routes to class coincide so you happened to meet us here." Kyoko explained in half truths. Hina seemed satisfied but she couldn't be sure.

"What in blazes is that smell?" Togami seethed, abruptly.

"Hey, I just went for a little jog, is all. I don't smell!" Hina replied...ironically, she gave herself away by answering his question in the first place...

"Go take a shower, you gorilla." Togami fumed, clutching his nose to emphasize his disgust. How overdramatic. Kyoko was standing right next to him and barely smelled anything.

"How about you just leave us-" Hina began before stopping midway. The donut lover visibly shuddered.

"What's wrong?" Kyoko asked.

"I just had a waaaay creepy feeling. Like someone stabbed me with their eyes." She also caught Togami's expression shift from disgust to slight fear from her words.

"I-Is that Toko?" Hina clued in. Only one person she knew could elicit _that_ reaction from the heir.

Kyoko sighed and kept walking, it was too early in the morning for this.

"Get back here." "D-Don't leave me with these creeps." For once, Togami and Hina were in perfect sync as they chased after Kyoko.

* * *

"Are you sure there's nothing going on between you and rich pants?" Hina pestered Kyoko yet again - The donut lover made a habit of catching her on Togami in the mornings and joined them on their way to class; they made a very unlikely trio for anyone else watching. Today, Hina joined Kyoko just as the latter left the school gates in the afternoon. Kyoko wasn't sure how far the swimmer intended to follow. Both girls had umbrellas in hand to shield themselves from the heavy downpour of rain.

"Would you quit asking if i said no _this time_? We're not even friends." Kyoko sighed

"I dunno about that...but alright, I'll drop it for now."

For now? - Kyoko thought, grimly

"Kyoko, you're doing detective stuff now right?" Hina said listlessly.

"That was the plan, but if you want to go somewhere else then I can take the day off." Kyoko could sense her friend's discomfort...and she wouldn't have minded spending time with Hina either.

"Nah, let's go catch some baddies instead." Hina's reply came as a surprise.

"I'm sorry, but could you repeat that?" Kyoko stopped in her tracks.

"I've decided. I'm going to become a detective!" Hina yelled and pumped her fists into the air.

"I...don't understand. What happened to becoming an Olympic athlete?" Kyoko wracked her brain around what could possibly have brought about this abrupt change of heart. Contrary to popular belief, Hina wasn't the type of girl to sway her opinions easily. Once she settled on a course of action, it was unreasonably difficult to dissuade her.

"I changed my mind. Now let's go." Was her answer, and it wasn't enough for Kyoko

"Hina, I don't know what this is about, but you can't _just_ become a detective. And we don't even know if you're suited for it." That and the path of an investigator wasn't for the faint-hearted. Hina was too kind for such a grim career.

Naturally, Kyoko herself failed to realize the irony.

"Don't sweat the details. I'm helping you and that's that." Something about the way Hina said that, greatly bothered her.

"...Helping? Why would I need help?" None of her classmates expressed any interest in her talent before. As far as she recalled nothing changed to bring up this conversation.

"No reason. I just thought it'd be a good idea." She wore a crooked smile.

"You're lying." For reasons Kyoko had already listed, that much was obvious. "Why are you lying?"

"D-Do I need a reason to help a friend?" Hina's voice rose. It was a trait common for novices who got caught in the act to behave retaliatory.

"That's true. But I'm just curious as to the reason." Kyoko folded her arms. It was a problem if Hina thought her reason was worth hiding.

"Then promise you won't get mad." The swimmer fumbled with her fingers, not looking at Kyoko in the eye.

"I promise."

"Truth is, I got worried that you might be in some trouble ever since you got that neck injury." Hina confessed. The conversation took yet another unexpected turn. Kyoko was impressed Hina pieced her injury together with her job, but that was overshadowed by what the swimmer was implying.

"You're right about the cause of my wound, but it isn't a big deal. I let my guard down and the knife scraped me." Kyoko said as a matter of fact.

"That's why I think I should tag along. Just so you can let your guard down _and_ be safe."

This back and forth carried on longer than it should have, with both girls becoming agitated at the other's stonewalling.

"It's unnecessary. I can take care of myself."

"No you can't!" Hina yelled. Judging from how she closed her mouth right afterwards, she hadn't meant to. But that alone was enough.

Kyoko felt something snap at that moment. She felt the identity she'd built up for over a decade threatened by this lone girl.

"What are you implying? Do you think I'm some child who can't handle myself _in my own field_?" The detective's own voice grew just enough to convey anger while maintaining as much composure as she could.

"I didn't mean it that way."

"How else could you have phrased that?"

"Well, you're injured aren't you?"

"I believe I already told you that was a fluke."

"That right there, is the problem. That _fluke_ could have killed you! And you passed it off as no big deal!"

Kyoko quickly discerned this argument was going nowhere and resolved to end it before either of them said something they couldn't take back. As far as she was concerned, Aoi was already dangerously close to that point.

"This conversation is over. We'll talk again when you've calmed down." Kyoko turned away from the swimmer, only to feel the latter grab onto her bag.

"I'm not done yet. Don't run away from me." Hina glared

"Let go." Kyoko replied in a venomous tone. The two friends struggled against the other's pull. Kyoko found herself disadvantaged by the athlete's strength, however that alone wouldn't make her yield. The tug of war continued until the strap ripped under the pressure, causing the bag to fly and fall into a nearby puddle.

"..." Kyoko said nothing in the initial phase. Her belongings getting drenched was...an irritating inconvenience by itself. The aggravated atmosphere only served to increase her frustration, but that too wasn't enough to break someone with her degree of patience.

She walked over to the puddle and grabbed the bag by the zipper. She had intended to roam through the contents to see what was still usable and what was waterlogged beyond repair. She didn't even get that far.

"I still have this?" Kyoko whispered as she reached for the drenched mystery novel she'd left in her bag.

Her umbrella fell to the sideway as she flipped through the pages in a trance hoping wondering if anything was still legible. Although even if it was, the rainfall would have dealt the final blow regardless. Nevertheless, the dazed detective searched until the very last page.

Her mind wasn't focused on any of the barely readable scribbles she flipped through but one simple thought that reared its head over and over again: '_Why didn't I throw it away?'_

_**("I'll be keeping this until I'm finished reading…and I don't intend to finish it alone so I guess I'll just hold onto it until you're well enough to come back.")**_

Kyoko Kirigiri didn't keep excess. She removed anything that material that couldn't be of use to her.

That meant, even after swearing to break ties with him...did she really think they'd meet again? Disgust filled every pore of her body.

...Not like it matters now. If it wasn't over then, it is now. Ah, she'd been through this before. Back when she was a child and still waiting for her father. It was on the final days before her dream of his return were crushed. It had taken a year for Kyoko's faith to waver, just around the limits of Jin Kirigiri's previous outings. Once that limit passed...

* * *

The diminutive Kyoko was at the park again. Kyoko gazed around the area with a bored expression- she knew the faces of everyone who arrived here, at what time she was to expect them and the purpose for which they were there. It wasn't a sixth sense or any such fantastical ability. The little girl had merely been here so painstakingly often that she could predict the actions of others like a mathematical equation. Likewise, the reverse was also true. The strangers who'd happen to meet her were adamantly aware that Kyoko was waiting for someone. She neither played with the other children or interacted with the adults, she just bid her time. Some adults grew curious and approached the mini-detective, who then replied cheerfully that she was waiting for her father. Afterwards, the adults would exchange pitying looks for reasons Kyoko couldn't quite comprehend at the time.

"Kyoko." Fuhito Kirigiri called his granddaughter.

"Grandfather." She replied lowly, not at all surprised by his appearance. He usual came by to pick her up at this time of day.

"Are you still waiting for Jin?" He no longer berated the girl for her persistence in futility. Mid-way, the hope she held had begun to infect even him. Even Fuhito prayed for his idiot's son's return, just so he could spare his granddaughter the inevitable pain. That didn't mean he would stay idle. Instead he'd tried to reconnect with Jin through one of his contacts but they'd found nothing. Jin was apparently traveling around the world, never staying long in a particular location. That in of itself could be proof that his son didn't wish to be found. In that case, there was only one thing left for him to do...

"Yes." Kyoko replied. Although compared to even a month ago, she didn't sound nearly so sure of herself.

"I see. That ends today." Fuhito said, grimly.

"R-Really? Is Jin home?" She fell under a misconception, but that was fine the old man. He would bring the curtain call on this delusion. He anticipated the girl's faith wouldn't last the end of the month, thus he would break it here. In fact, it was his duty to have done so long ago. The aftereffects of his actions would be his responsibility to bear.

"No. He is never coming back."

"..." Ordinarily, Kyoko would respectfully, if not ignorantly reject his words. But this time, she understood his words held a certain finality to them.

"I never wished to give this to you, but circumstances have forced my hand." In Fuhito's hand held a letter that he passed on to Kyoko. It was Jin's words of farewell. The coward couldn't even say goodbye to his own daughter personally and abandoned her with only that atrocity as evidence. Fuhito had never wanted Kyoko to lay eyes on this letter for it would be the greatest humiliation a child could bear. Fuhito sympathized with Jin; he had lost his wife to a tragic accident and facing Kyoko who was the spitting image of her mother must have been painful. However, Kyoko had also lost a mother by that same logic, and now her father had disappeared without a trace. Fuhito could not possibly understand how Jin, or any father, could allow their only daughter to bear twice their own pain. It didn't click with what Fuhito knew of his son. There had to be more...

Fuhito watched the girl read through the letter, expecting her to burst into tears at the seams. One might wonder why he chose to reveal this letter while the two were in public; the answer was that the elder detective felt it necessary. If she broke down here, then she would never return with false hope. So he waited. Fully ready to accept the responsibility of making his granddaughter cry for the first time since infancy. He would comfort her as long as he needed to.

That was why it came as a shock for none of those possibilities to occur. Upon finishing the letter, Kyoko simply nodded, folded the piece of paper as neatly as she received it and handed it back to her grandfather.

"Kyoko?" He briefly wondered if she hadn't actually understood the contents of the letter.

"Father...is gone." The girl said, listlessly and without emotion. She couldn't deny what was veritably Jin Kirigiri's handwriting.

"Yes."

"...Let's go home."

Fuhito furrowed his eyebrows at the unnatural reaction. Repressed emotion was something they all could do without.

"If you need to cry, it's fine. Nobody will blame you." He said, softly. Patting the girl on the head.

Kyoko shook her head. "It's fine. I'll come to you if I have to."

That never happened, of course. Kyoko never shed a single tear, nor did she repress her emotions. She merely accepted that her father abandoned her, and hated him for it.

"I hate father." Kyoko spoke out of the blue, holding Fuhito's hand as they left the park.

"There is noting wrong with that." To Fuhito, how she could state that so purely was heartbreaking. Nonetheless, it was agreeable.

"But, I hate myself more."

"Do not say such things."

Those words on the other hand, Fuhito Kirigiri would reject as long as he lived.

* * *

Hina stood by Kyoko. Like the hothead she was, she'd run her mouth and ruined everything. She hadn't meant to rip Kyoko's bag but she was aware that grabbing anywhere else might have done some damage.

When Kyoko crouched to get her items out of the bag, she suddenly froze and dropped her umbrella...and didn't even pick it back up. Kyoko kept flipping through a book and ignored everything else around her. After minutes passed, Hina took it upon herself to plant her own umbrella over the girl. The swimmer didn't say a word. Partly because she didn't know what to say at this point. Eventually Kyoko reached the end but Hina could see there was nothing in the book that could still be read. Everything was soaked in water.

And yet, the other girl remained motionless for a time, before she (almost mechanically) standing up.

Hina felt compelled to take a step back. The detective gave off the aura that she wanted nobody close to her. Even her regularly tidied hair was worn by the rain and the strand she usually braided unfurled and fell in line with the rest.

Kyoko faced her with eyes colder than Hina had ever seen before. And considering the likes of Togami and Celeste were in her class, that was a very high bar to break. Besides that, her expression gave away nothing. Not a hint of emotion escaped the girl's mask.

Before Hina could even begin to apologize, Kyoko walked right passed her, unperturbed by the rain that impacted her body. Hina could only watch her retreating form, too wracked with guilt to stop her.

"Kyoko..." Hina frowned.

She packed up Kyoko's belongings, thinking it was the least she could do. Her eyes landed on the book Kyoko read through. Even an idiot like herself could see it was important to Kyoko and definitely not something that should have been destroyed as it was.

"I screwed up."

* * *

A week passed since then and Kyoko hadn't returned to class since. She hadn't received any calls from Asahina either; Kyoko supposed even Hina had given up on her. Not that she minded though. To begin with, their personalities clashed too greatly and from the looks of things, the swimmer would have been dragged into Kyoko's world had their friendship remained and that was something the detective wouldn't approve.

Her social relations aside, she wasn't doing much better. If anything, her insomnia had gotten worse over time, which meant more trips to the hospital. Just like tonight, when Kyoko found herself in a similar situation as the last time she'd come here.

"Ah, it's you." Nagito Komaeda said.

Kyoko had passed him by in the lobby.

"Kyoko Kirigiri, Ultimate detective." She named herself.

"Haha, thanks for saving me the trouble of asking. And as expected of you to notice without my saying so."

"It's fine." It wasn't like he could help it. Komaeda's greeting implicated cognizance to some degree, not unlike a scenario where one would come across an old acquaintance. On a side note, little did she know that were the luckster to be at the peak of health, he'd have showered her with unrepentant praise that would unfailingly alienate any Ultimate. His exhausted state of being actually made him easier to communicate with.

However that he recognized her at all begged the question.

"Why did you remember me?"

"Come again."

"I don't believe someone in your position would (or rather could) remember a stranger. What impression did I leave to gain the honor?" If he couldn't recall his own name, recalling her at all would have been miraculous...unless there was reason for it.

"Thank you." Komaeda's smile grew wider.

"I don't believe that was supposed to please you."

"It did. Talking isn't easy, thinking is even harder. That's why I'm grateful that you keep saving me the effort of communicating every little detail."

"So you admit to having business with me. What is it?" Kyoko's voice betrayed suspicion.

"You're moving too fast. It's not 'business' per se. More like an interest in the person I lost to." Komaeda placed a finger beneath his chin.

Kyoko scrunched her face. "What are you talking about? We've never competed before."

"You're right. Forget I said anything." Komaeda smiled casually outstretched his hand. Kyoko had a suspicion that she was being mocked. "But I am interested, that part was true."

"That might have been _the_ worst pickup line I've ever heard." And she'd had the misfortune of being on the receiving end of one of Leon's on her first day at HPA. She made sure the baseball star never tried it again.

"A sense of humor too. That's surprising." He chuckled.

"Did you expect me to be an emotionless drone? Sorry, I rather not fall into ]stereotypes."

"That's not what I meant. It's just...you looked dispirited compared to the last time we met. I was worried you might have caught an illness."

"I'm starting to wonder if you're messing around with me. Fortunately, I'm perfectly alright." This man didn't forget me at all. What does he want?

"Wonderful. It'd be unfortunate if something happened to you." Komaeda's smile was quickly appearing less and less genuine to her.

"Unfortunate for whom?"

"Doesn't have to be anyone in particular. Isn't it normal for your loved ones to feel sad about that kind of thing?" Komaeda conveyed those words as if he were reading off a script, yet it didn't feel out of place with his character.

"I hate to disappoint you but I doubt any such person exists." Kyoko made a self-derisive remark.

"So that's how it is...hehe...hahaha..." Komaeda trailed off into mocking laughter.

"You're unpleasant." Kyoko passively turned away from him.

"So I've heard. But don't misunderstand, I wasn't laughing at you. It's just funny to see how much we have in common." Komaeda smiled again. Only this time, it didn't appear as forced as before. It was a ruined, contemptuous smirk, directed at none but himself.

* * *

Kyoko scheduled a meeting with Saihara the next day. They'd decided to meet at his place, since he certainly couldn't come to hers, for more reasons than she'd like to think about. She rang the bell once she arrived at his doorstep.

"Kirigiri, you came." Saihara said, opening the door.

"I said I would, didn't I?" She stepped inside

"Make yourself at home."

Kyoko acquiesced Saihara's welcome and sat by the kotatsu table. It was the first time she'd ever seen one of these.

Saihara came back with a tray of green tea, which Kyoko happily accepted.

"Do you live here alone?" Kyoko asked.

"This is my uncle's place. He's away on vacation right now so it might as well be mine." Saihara explained. While something of a tangent, Kyoko couldn't help but think about how the boy wore his cap even at home. It was almost as if the accessory provided some defense mechanism.

"What about your parents?" She continued her question, brushing her prior thoughts aside.

"They work in the film business; my dad's an actor while my mom is a screenwriter. I pretty much never see them so I was left with my uncle."

"I see." Kyoko drank out of the cup.

"...Most people tend to ask if I feel sad whenever I mention my parents." Saihara chuckled.

"I wasn't being insensitive. Quite the opposite, my mother died in an accident and my father abandoned me a year afterwards. I know how the feeling, that's why I won't pry."

"You too?" He gasped "I-In that case, I won't pry either."

"I wouldn't have talked even if you did. Thanks anyway." Kyoko said. Afterwards, they traded whatever information either detective found on the recent crime rise. The criminals were all middle-aged men, working class and were in debt financially. Thus supporting Kyoko's theory that monetary gain was the link between these criminal decoys and their currently unknown boss. Little did the fool know that he was only leaving a trail that would inevitably allow her to trace these incidences back to him.

Their meeting was productive. Most of the information had come from Saihara's end as Kyoko'd been occupied for the last few days. While Kyoko definitely wasn't okay with coming up short, she was more than satisfied with her partner's competence. For someone with Saihara's talent, he gave himself far too little credit. Just as he was doing right now. Kyoko could tell the boy was severely anxious around her, repeatedly casting momentary glances in her direction.

"You can say what's on your mind now." Kyoko said out of the blue.

"Eh?"

"You've been fidgeting for the past while and stealing glances my way. I'm sure there's something you want to tell me."

"Oh." He blushed. "I was just wondering how you became a detective. See, I'm one out of gratitude to my uncle and work at his firm. Everyone else there treats me like a kid and tells me to mind my own business. You're the first junior detective so-"

"You're looking for pointers or someone to relate with?" Kyoko cut him off.

Saihara nodded

"Alright. Think of it as compensating for the failures on my end." Kyoko smiled. "Though I'm not sure there's much to tell. The Kirigiris come from a long line of detectives. It's in my blood and I've never once tried fighting it. Truthfully, I've been solving mysteries since I was a little over 6 and I inspected my first corpse at 7. I think I'm too entrenched in this business to be called a junior detective, sorry."

"Hold on. You've been working on homicides since you were a toddler?" Saihara asked.

"That is what I said." She didn't think it was anything praiseworthy. Rather, it was more evidence of how far removed she was from normality.

"Amazing." He whispered. There was that reverence again. Kyoko felt she may as well shed some light on his misconception before he takes it too far.

"Word of advice, Saihara. If your goal is to be an accomplished detective, you need to stop relying on others." She started.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Being an investigator means you're on a constant search for the truth. But the truth is a tricky thing. What might seem true now can be proven a lie tomorrow. Take for example, It was once widely accepted that the Earth was the center of the universe. Given how infinitely vast space is, why do you think anyone would accept such an implausible concept?"

"Our egos I suppose. People saw the stars revolving around the Earth and deduced that conclusion with the information they had. Future education disproved that theory, but depending on perspective, Earth can be consideredthe center of _our_ universe." Saihara said with a pensive look.

"Exactly. The answer is there. The only way to prove the truth is to have full understanding of an event, which is impossible unless we were there to perceive it ourselves. Even records of the event could easily be doctored. Us detectives are always at a constant disadvantage; only able to act _after_ a crime has been committed, so we can never know **the** truth. We simply infer the most plausible outcome based on chains of evidence."

"What I'm trying to say is that your truth may not be the same as mine, but there's nothing wrong with that. The problem arises when you stop searching for the truth yourself and are content to be spoonfed by others; you're just asking to be led down the wrong path. Even if the truth that I've come to is different than yours, that doesn't mean you have to accept it."

Saihara nodded. "But by that same token, I'm assuming that it's unwise to cling to a truth you know to be false."

"That goes without saying." Kyoko agreed.

"I think that's great advice."

"I'm glad you think so. It was my grandfather's favorite saying. I could tell by how often he repeated it." Kyoko showed another one of her rare smiles of fondness.

"He sounds wise." Saihara remarked.

"Yes. He _was_."

Saihara picked up on her stated implications and changed the direction of the topic slightly.

"That kind of defeats the point of working together, doesn't it?" He faked a cough,

"Only if you think I'm making mistakes. Do you?" Kyoko grinned.

"No ma'am."

...

Kirigiri dozed off early into the evening. Shuichi didn't wake her, she looked like she needed it, honestly. Shuichi _did_ carry her to his room and laid her on the bed. Note that this was after nearly twenty minutes of deliberating the morality of touching a girl while she slept. He was incredibly lame that way. Frankly, just the idea of being alone with a very beautiful girl in his house was raised his stress meter through the roof. He prayed that he didn't give his anxiety away.

Shuichi sighed loudly after closing the room door behind him.

He liked the calmness and poise Kirigiri had when she did...just about anything. Even her origin story made his look like crap. All he did was get lucky on a murder case or help around his school. Kirigiri did all that when she was a kid!

Speaking of which, her family circumstances were similar to his. Well, his parents were neglectful but they never abandoned him. Not outright anyway; they still send him mail and such but Shuichi knows it's more out of obligation than affection. Kirigiri lost both her parents in different ways...and from the sounds of it, her grandfather passed away too. Then does that mean she's all alone?

If she is, then his admiration only grew; being that strong despite her circumstance mustn't have been easy.

Alright, I'll work my ass off and unravel the truth behind this crime surge. That way, Kirigiri won't have to work as hard. And if I solve it, then maybe she might even look my way.

"...Yeah right. She's way out of my league."

* * *

Kyoko returned home mere minutes before curfew, still displeased with herself for having fallen asleep at Saihara's. She took solace knowing, he hadn't done anything strange, which was a bonus for how much she could trust him. Kyoko wouldn't go as far as to call him a friend but for now, she approved of him as a colleague.

She spotted a dim light coming from the living room. Togami sat by the lamp engrossed in whatever manner of information was displayed on his laptop. He peered over to her with almost natural disinterest. Kyoko didn't mind, as there was no malicious intent or purpose behind his behavior. This was the heir's default expression to everything and everyone. If she could name one benefit to their living arrangements, it would be that she's learned not to take his mannerisms at face value.

"You cut it close today." He spoke first.

"I made it on time, I trust there are no complaints."

"Fukawa ambushed me in the cafeteria." His expression fell from impassivity to disgust. Kyoko usually made dinner, because he couldn't do anything by himself. Hanamura's cooking blew hers out of the water, yet Togami seemed to think the trade-off for not having to venture to the cafeteria was enough to compensate. True to form, Togami had told her this in a roundabout way, consisting of a slew of insults and derogatory remarks mixed in.

"My condolences. I'll be sure to make it up to you." Kyoko rolled her eyes, certain that the blonde's irritation stemmed from how Kyoko no longer shielded him from Toko on their way to class. Kyoko didn't know why either. If Togami _really_ wanted to get rid of the author, he could just tell the school or invoke a restraining order. That he didn't suggested he wasn't especially bothered by Toko's presence. What did Hifumi call these types? Tsun-something. Either way, it was annoying.

"Did something happen with you and the swimming idiot?" He asked.

"Since when did you develop a habit of caring about anyone but yourself?"

"That was a horrible attempt at dodging the question. But I suppose it's an answer in of itself."

"Why do you ask?"

"She's been accompanying me in the morning with this irritating sullen air. I'd tell her to get lost but she keeps the pest away, so I'll count my blessings."

"We had a fight."

"I see."

They exchanged no more words. Kyoko opted for sleeping the rest of the night. Predictably, she failed in her attempt. The time read 3:00 in the morning and she hadn't gotten a wink of sleep. Seeing as sleep was a futile endeavor, Kyoko decided to apply her efforts towards her interests. There were stacks of laptops on a desk by the living room she could use. Kyoko couldn't fathom why the heir needed so many, but she wouldn't complain.

She caught the lights still on downstairs and determined Togami was still awake.

"Why are you up so late?" She asked.

"Unlike you, my wake is perfectly voluntary. There's an arrogant upstart that needs decimating, so could you please leave me to concentrate?" Togami brushed her off. He spoke of a corporate world that Kyoko never wanted to get involved in. The detective procured a pc and brought it to her room, where she began a search for the background of one Nagito Komaeda.

Komaeda was interesting...not in a particularly good way. His enigmatic nature tripped her curiosity and besides, Komaeda made little attempt to hide that he knew her from somewhere, there's no reason why she can't level the playing field. Kyoko surveyed the patient's name on social media websites...and found nothing. A few results shared similar names but were different people. Kyoko briefly considered the possibility Komaeda went under fake names however...'_But don't misunderstand, I wasn't laughing at you. It's just...funny to see how much we have in common.' - _Is what Komaeda said back then. That statement supports that he's isolated from general society, and that would make tracing his background difficult. She could check around the student directory at school but anything more than that would prove more trouble than it's worth.

On a whim, she typed his name of a general search engine, having little faith that the results would divulge any information worthwhile. The first title gave Kyoko pause. 'Freak meteorite accident?' She whispered.

It was an article that dated back over a decade ago. It detailed an airplane hi-jacking at San Cristóbal Airport that was stopped by a meteor impact. The only survivor was Nagito Komaeda, the child of two fatalities in the accident. The links didn't stop there. There were other directories to kidnappings and lottery winnings; all of which occurred under bizarre circumstances. Kyoko concluded that the Komaeda she knew would fit all the age descriptions in each article. If it really was him, then she could only surmise that he'd lived a very difficult life based on the information she'd acquire. A life that certainly couldn't be considered lucky - the negatives far outweighed the positives.

She couldn't agree that they had anything in common.

The next day, Kyoko paid a visit to Komaeda's classroom the next day. After quickly dismissing any preconceived notions of her being there to arrest anyone (particularly from the foul-mouthed babyface), she stated her objective.

"I'd like you to tell me what you know about Nagito Komaeda."

An awkward silence permeated the room. She hadn't expected much given Komaeda all but admitted he was estranged from all others, but the reception here was baffling. These were her upperclassmen in their final year, yet not one of them gave her anything but the most basic information. It was as if Kyoko knew _more_ about Komaeda from half-an hour's worth of investigation than they did in _three years_.

The class representative had at least been helpful. A pinkette with a lethargic way of speaking claimed Komaeda had been intentionally distant and chose not to interact with others despite their attempts.

"I think, if anyone knows about Komaeda, that'd be Mikan. But she's at the medical ward right now."

Kyoko could be thankful for the lead. She met Tsumiki occasionally so it would be easy to find her.

Before Kyoko could leave, one of the students, a man in a yellow jumpsuit hesitantly addressed her. "Say, how's that weirdo doing?" Kyoko looked back to meet him and found the rest of the class' eyes on her, as if the shark-toothed boy was speaking for all of them.

"He's...not fine, based on my observations. If you care to see him, I'd advise you hurry before you miss your chance." Kyoko replied in a neutral voice.

* * *

"I heard from Chiaki that y-you wanted to speak to me?" Tsumiki stuttered in her usual manner.

"Yes, it's about one of your classmates, Nagito Komaeda." Kyoko brusquely affirmed the black-haired girl's conception.

"Why? K-Komaeda is very sick and if it's something strenuous then...I" Like a flip of the switch, Mikan's meek persona turned to hardened determination. "I definitely will not allow it."

"No need to worry. I'm just interested in getting to know him. He's done nothing wrong that I'm aware of." Kyoko disregarded the implied threat.

"O-Oh, sorry. Are you looking to be his friend?"

Kyoko didn't think she'd go that far. "That depends on what I learn. As of now, I'm not averse to conversing with him."

"Komaeda...talks to you?"

"Yes, is he not supposed to?"

"H-He is, but he's a lot less energetic than he used to be. He barely says anything when I'm around...or maybe he doesn't get along with me." Tsumiki lowered her head.

"That's his loss. From what I've observed, you're a splendid nurse."

"Eeeeeh? You really think so?" The nurse squealed.

"Certainly. Your acting in his defense a moment ago was all the proof I need. You would be surprised how few medical doctors show that much passion for their patients." Kyoko had never been admitted to the hospital but she has needed to interrogate patients in the past, and there is often too few resistance put up that would deter her. Not that she was complaining. "You're a greater asset to society than myself. I only catch criminals after the act, while you help save lives. I'm envious, really."

Tsumiki stared off into the distance for a time before asking. "Would you like to see Komaeda now?"

"If possible."

The other girl nodded and led Kyoko to Komaeda's room.

"Thank you." Tsumiki said out of the blue, holding the door.

"For what?" Kyoko asked.

"T-That compliment. I haven't been praised like that i-in a long time, not since a-a friend of mine."

"I just say what I want to say. Anyone who knew the real you would be grateful to be in your care, or be your friend." Kyoko shrugged, delighting Tsumiki with praise.

"Hehehe-Makoto said the same thing."

Kyoko heard static. That single word overturned the once relaxed atmosphere.

_'Calm down, Kyoko...Makoto was an all-too-common name...it didn't have to be him.'_

That he'd been this close the whole time and she didn't notice? She couldn't accept such a laughable coincidence.

Tsumiki opened the door.

* * *

He was here.

Makoto was in front of her, and he was alive.

Tsumiki explained the details and informed her of his failed operation. That was a blow she hadn't seen coming but it would explain why he never came back to the garden. Kyoko nearly felt herself overcome by a variety of emotions, she kept every last one in check under a veneer of serenity. That mask almost broke when Tsumiki told her Makoto wasn't expected to wake from his coma. Yet she was consoled by an unforeseen individual.

"He'll be fine."

Komaeda walked into the room at just the right moment. According to the luckster's anecdote, he'd grown bored and wandered around. Kyoko inquired as to what basis he had for his opinion. The man stated his luck would ensure it, and did so with unwavering confidence un-befitting his position or pessimistic nature. Kyoko had already read up on his exploits and could attest to his luck.

Komaeda asked Tsumiki to leave so he could speak with Kyoko alone. After light protests, the nurse reluctantly conceded.

"You looked shock. Didn't you know he was here?" Komaeda broke the silence.

"I don't believe I was ever told." Kyoko seethed with indignation on the inside, not allowing those emotions reach the surface

"Is that so? I wonder why, did I want it to be a surprise? Yeah that sounds like me." Komaeda said with a thoughtful look. Had it been anyone else, Kyoko would have slapped him but this wreck of a human's incoherence was most likely genuine. It had better be, for his sake.

"No clue, I don't know what I was thinking." He spoke of his own self as it were another person.

"But you remember me, correct?"

"Not really. But I have a vague idea. Ah, could you tell me your name?"

"Kyoko Kirigiri." She _really_ hoped this would be the last time.

"Kirigiri. Yeah that sounds right." He scratched his chin, then gave a haphazard smile "Oh well, you're here now so it doesn't matter. Instead, I should probably explain myself.."

"That would be appreciated." Kyoko's eyes didn't leave Makoto's sleeping form. She'd expected Komaeda to continue regardless but heard nothing. Kyoko peered over towards the amnesiac and found him rummaging through his bedsheets.

"What are you doing?"

"Looking for my diary, I have a feeling it should be here somewhere."

"Check your pillow." Kyoko advised. Komaeda blinked, tossing the pillow off his bed. The diary was placed below it.

"I'm surprised you're the type to document your experiences. I took you for someone who'd given up on everything." Komaeda took no offense to Kyoko's assessment, instead opting for agreement while skipping through pages.

"That's true, I'm a defeatist at heart. This diary is special though, Makoto probably gave it to me." Komaeda said.

"Probably? You don't know?"

"I never remember anything, but I can feel what's important or not. Like, if there was someone I hated; even if I don't remember why, I'd feel irritated around them. As for this diary, I'm not the type to buy pointless things and I'm not sure if Tsumiki would if I asked. Makoto would though."

"It was probably Makoto. I remember giving him advice for what to get a roommate." The pieces were beginning to fit. "He also mentioned that he didn't know whether you considered him a friend."

Komaeda sported an indiscernible expression.

"He said that huh? Well it's true. He's probably the only real friend I've ever had. Maybe more." He said.

"...You're full of surprises. I didn't expect you'd reveal affection so blatantly. Most people who seem to know you claim to have no idea how you feel about them. Tsumiki in particular seems to care quite a bit."

"Tsumiki? That's possible...It probably is. But her kindness is wasted on me."

"I agree."

"Hahaha. You don't hold back, do you?"

"Did you want me to baby you like an invalid? I don't think you'd care much for that."

"You'd be right. Talking normally is best. Really...if I could say what was on my mind as easily, maybe I'd be better off."

"The grass is always greener on the other side. I can't say my temperament has never caused me issues." Kyoko said, eyes closed.

"That's fair." He scratched his untidy hair. "I honestly don't really know about Tsumiki. How someone can take care of me for so long and not be thoroughly disgusted to the point of wanting to be reassigned...I can't understand it."

"You're stupid to push her away because of that. What's to understand about your friends trying to keep you safe-" Kyoko inwardly recoiled at the end of her statement.

_Wasn't that what Hina tried to do for me?_

Komaeda listened quietly for once, not saying anything in return and not smiling either. His expression was completely blank. Instead he scribbled onto a sheet of paper and tore it out of the diary.

"What's that?"

"A memo of what you just said. I'm keeping it so I don't forget."

Kyoko nodded in understanding. He'd taken his words to heart on some level at least. "Why so candid about your emotions to Makoto?"

"That's because I'll never see him again, so it doesn't really matter. I even tried confessing yesterday. I wonder if he heard me; comatose patients are receptive at times. Then again, he might just forget it all like a dream." Komaeda rambled on. The first sentence had been enough.

"You're a coward." She stated. What else could she call someone who only had the guts to open up to someone who couldn't respond?

"I know right? But it's too late to change _that_ about myself at this point." He laughed, but did he really find that aspect of himself amusing? "Say, you should give it a try and talk to him too."

"I planned on it." She muttered

"Then...what are you waiting for?" Komaeda cocked his head in confusion. Kyoko stared at him emphatically, it took a few seconds for Komaeda to pick up on the hint.

"Oh! Silly me, I'll leave you to it." Komaeda wobbled out of bed and towards the door, closing it behind him.

Kyoko sighed in relief, turning to face Makoto. With one hand, she reached for his hair.

"Ah, Kirigiri-" Kyoko retracted her hand just as Komaeda's head popped back in from an opening in the door. "While enacting a sleeping beauty scenario is romantic? It's actually a crime to do anything intimate without his consent. That's all, Have fun!"

Kyoko glared at the once again closed door, wishing it had a lock.

"That man is seriously unpleasant." Is what she said, but there wasn't a trace of frustration behind her words. "I don't know what you were thinking have someone as difficult as that for a friend." She addressed the sleeping boy. She hadn't been abandoned...he was just late.

"Then again, it's possible he was just attracted to you. Like I was." Kyoko smiled warmly and cupped his face.

Kyoko Kirigiri and Nagito Komaeda had much in common indeed.

-7 months later-

"You're back, Kirigiri. _Again_."

"I'm honored you didn't forget me, Komaeda. _Again._" They welcomed each other with sarcasm.

"I wrote it down. Look." Komaeda handed her a sheet of paper describing her. A tick rose on Kyoko's forehead as she read how Komaeda described her. The physical characteristics were on-point...save for the comment of her facial expressions perpetually frozen as ice. As for the rest...'she's bossy' 'unfair' 'vindictive' 'scary' 'and skeptical. I don't think she'd let a toddler walk within 3 ft without expecting them for explosives first'

Kyoko crumpled the paper in her gloves and tossed it out the window. "I've heard you were the Ultimate fanboy, yet you're unusually cold to me. Or is it that even I'm unable to comprehend how your twisted mind works?"

"I've always believed that normal, talent-less fodder were ingrates, never understanding just how miserably inferior compared to Ultimates - That ignorance is the only way they could go about their lives without being crippled by their ineptitude." Komaeda snickered wryly. "But now that I've lost my talent, _I can be one of those ignorant, talent-less fodder_." In other words, he no longer has to put up a front and appease his 'superiors'.

"You sound almost happy to be among those you call fodder."

"Luck was never much of a talent anyway." And yet it caused him a great deal of pain. She's learned that nearly everything that came out of this boy's mouth was at least partway a deception. Komaeda never _truly_ smiled, nor did he take pleasure in anything; that's why she said "almost happy". If Kyoko could analogue his circumstances, she would liken Komaeda to an inmate on death row. He'd spent years watching other prisoners executed and worried tirelessly for when his turn on the electric chair would come. Now the date had finally been setting in stone and there was no longer any need for apprehension. That certainty and finality of death, was in of itself, his salvation.

Regardless of his impending demise, Komaeda was no longer shackled by the supernatural occurrence known as luck. He was free. Thus, it was ironic that same freedom had now robbed Komaeda of the strength to leave his bed. Despite however he felt about Kyoko, Komaeda would much rather prefer her presence to the crushing silence and boredom that would ensue without her. He'd rather she visit every single day if it meant he could stave off monotony.

"Besides, you're the cold one, in my opinion. What do you think, Makoto?" Komaeda faced the other patient.

"Don't bring him into this...and Makoto agrees with me anyway. Anyone would agree that _you_ have serious problems, right?" Kyoko did the same. Both addressed someone who could neither hear nor answer them. It was a childish delusion the duo shared but nobody was there to laugh, nor would they permit it if there were.

Kyoko and Komaeda carried on interactions of this nature of this nature frequently over the months they'd grown to know one another. Though the memories were only carried by the former. Be it weeks, or days, or even mere hours...at times, it was if Komaeda was meeting her for the first time. In spite of this, Komaeda's way of communicating didn't waver. He may not have recalled events but the feeling of their conversations remained.

Kyoko would not attribute the absence of amicability between to a memory barrier. Frankly, Kyoko doubted they could ever become friends even if Komaeda had been the picture of health. That isn't to say the two hated each other...it was an indescribable connection.

If Kyoko were to put her opinion to phrase...she would define Nagito Komaeda as the quintessence of a convenient man; he rarely, if ever, acted in a manner that would expose his true nature. Komaeda hid his thoughts and emotions away behind a mask of indifference and calm. In most cases, Komaeda applied himself in ways to avoid a conclusive end to any confrontation; he would not win or lose an argument but have the matter abandoned altogether. Usually by playing games with the other's mind via circumventing the truth or outright lying. Oh, did he _lie. _If Celestia Ludenberg was the queen of liars, Komaeda was the joker.

In contrast, Kyoko was an incorrigible woman. She sought nothing but the truth, and was unyielding in her pursuit of it. The lavender haired girl would neither submit nor change herself for anyone and instead, would sooner break than bend. In other words, Kyoko's resolution and competence in her endeavors were surpassed only by her recklessness and obstinance. You'd need to either be earnest to a fault or an idiot to try to keep pace with her. Nevertheless, this trait proved to inspire others and draw them close. Although she'd only keep them within arm's reach, never allowing them close to her heart. In that regard, Kyoko and Komaeda were the same.

The thought of being likened to Komaeda frustrated her to no end. Kyoko dared not think of what albino would be like were he to have been healthy; a perfectly functioning psychopath, who'd lead on others by making them feel superior (and thus comfortable) in his presence while he manipulated them from behind the scenes. And that image gave way to an interesting hypothesis.

It was a meaningless impossibility at this stage but one she humored herself with. If Komaeda had been a criminal...

For an instant, what could only be a miracle occurred; Kyoko giggled.

"Huh...I didn't think you were capable of laughing. Care to share what's on your mind?" Komaeda wondered with genuine curiosity.

"I was thinking of what it would be like if you were the culprit behind a case I was investigating."

"And?"

"Ah, I was just enraptured by how _obscenely _satisfying it'd be to put you behind a jail cell." Kyoko smirked. His despaired features were enough to make even her break character.

"Pffft-ahahahahahahaha!" Komaeda burst into laughter. It was an amusing sight for a while...until he began coughing harshly.

Kyoko half-expected that and rushed over to place a hand on his back.

"I'm fine." He said after calming down. She didn't believe it of course.

"But that reminded me. There's one thing I have to tell you."

Just before he could, a knock to the door cut them off. Kyoko looked towards it to see two of her upperclassman standing outside. The gangster and the mechanic to be exact.

"Uh, just wondering if we could visit." The taller one rubbed his neck while the shorter stayed silent. Kuzuryu gave off the impression that he didn't want to be there...but Kyoko had heard enough about the gangster to know that he wouldn't consent to anything he didn't like.

"Sure, I was just leaving." Kyoko lied. It was better for her to stay out of this.

Komaeda gave her a deer-in-the-headlights expression that almost made her chuckle. He clearly didn't know them and would have no idea what to say...so Kyoko did him one favor.

"The pink-haired one is Kazuichi Soda and the other is Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu. They're your classmates." She whispered into his ear. He seemed satisfied with that much.

"And what was it you wanted to tell me?" Kyoko asked.

Komaeda shook his head. "I'll tell you next time." That meant he was planning to or had already written it down to remember. It must be important.

Kyoko nodded and excused herself, taking one last look to see the Ultimate Lucky Student overwhelmed by his classmates and reduced to a meek mess. She almost wished she'd stayed to laugh but Kyoko had enough tact not to ruin the moment.

In hindsight Kyoko felt her decision had been correct. Even if it resulted in that moment being the last time she would ever see Komaeda again.

* * *

Her alliance with Shuichi had proven fruitful. Over the course of half a year, they'd rounded up the more difficult criminals related to their ever elusive crime boss, with the help of the police. Thankfully, the crime boss in question, was no longer elusive. The last man she'd caught had spilled a name; Kazuto Amagami. When asked why he was willing to divulge the name of his "employer", he claimed the drugs being sold by one of his cohorts inadvertently ruined the life of someone he cared about. In short, it was spite and Kyoko could work with that.

She researched Amagami's background and wasn't pleased with what she found. He was a CEO of a large company that had made impressive financial developments over the course of little more than a year. Unfortunately, this made him hard to reach. Money was always a way for scum like this to dodge the law's hammer. Simply put, she hadn't the connections to make a proper arrest and she certainly wasn't leaving this information with the police.

The unfairness that frustrated the detective, and she was _not _about to give up on a case that she'd devoted 6 months of her time to. The question now, was could she do about it? There was only one person Kyoko could turn to but she really, _really_ didn't want to.

"Togami, I need your advice." Kyoko said.

"Can't you see I'm busy, woman? Or has missing class finally eradicated whatever brain cells you had left?" He was venting, how mature. In fairness, his frustrations had spanned a great deal of time.

"Must you really pay so much attention to a competitor?" Kyoko asked.

"Bah, goes to show what a commoner knows. Let your guard down for a second and you'll get the rug pulled out from under you, that's how the _my_ world works. This scoundrel, Amagami, is proof of that."

Kyoko blinked "...Kazuto Amagami?" She took a shot in the dark.

Togami furrowed his eyebrows "That's _right_. What do you know?"

"Well...that's what I wanted to ask you about. What can you tell me about Amagami?" Calm Kyoko may have appeared, the truth is that she was perplexed beyond belief.

"...He's up to something. His company has covered too much ground, far too quickly. It'd be one thing if the rat had come up with a revolutionary product to sway the masses but no matter how far I search, there is no pattern to be found between the increase in his profits. stocks and merchandise sales. Anyone with an eye for business can see there are cards being played under the table." The heir touched the side of his glasses, emanating disappointment in his ability to figure out what he considered the business equivalent of a sleight of the hand.

"Perhaps the reason you can't see through Amagami's success is _precisely_ because you're too focused on what's going on up-top instead of what's occurring underneath."

"What are you implying?"

"I have grounds to believe he's behind a wide-scale underground drug ring in the city. The police have been wracking their heads over the case."

"...And you're certain Amagami is the perpetrator."

Kyoko nodded "Unfortunately, I'm lacking sold evidence. Merely one's man's testimony is all I've got...but the information you've given me, the timing fits the bill."

"Then that will be all I need; I'll trust in your abilities." Togami smirked.

"...Not 5 seconds ago, you insulted my intelligence."

"You're always stuck in the past. That's your problem, Kirigiri."

Seems he's in a better mood at least.

"Hypothetically speaking. How would you handle Amagami if he were the culprit?"

"Me? Nothing. I'll just leave it to my mother." He shrugged.

"Mari? What could she possibly do that you couldn't?" Kyoko raised an eyebrow.

"She has connections to the underworld. I'd rather not get involved in...morally questionable matters, personally. Come to think of it, those Kuzuryu louts might even be willing to lend a hand, I can't imagine they're fine with their territory being raided." He was already setting the pieces on a chessboard in his twisted mind. But for the moment, Kyoko couldn't care less about the case.

"Mari is a criminal?" Kyoko deadpanned.

"No." Togami looked disgusted by the insinuation. "My grandfather on my mother's side is a crime boss overseas. She hasn't been directly affiliated with them ever since she married my father (can't have a scandal now can we?) but that wasn't necessary after the divorce."

Kyoko took a few seconds to process the information. If Togami's mother wasn't directly involved in any crimes then Kyoko had no reason to hold anything against her...and from the sounds of it, those crimes would be far out of her jurisdiction anyways. At the very least...it explained why Kyoko could never get a read and felt slightly intimidated by the woman. She was a queen alright...

"...Does my father know about this?" She asked.

"Yes."

"And...I wasn't told?"

"Headmaster Kirigiri said you'd find out yourself, and I couldn't help but agree. I'd be surprised if you haven't already searched this whole house for wiretapping or cameras." Togami folded his arms.

She was going to throw something at her father the next time they met.

"You're making a very big deal about this. Haven't you solved your daddy issues already?"

"That's none of your business." Kyoko spat.

"As...painful as it is to say, and let me be clear that I am in more pain you could possibly imagine, I don't believe I am an outsider on this matter." Togami said, looking visibly ill.

Right...soon to be stepbrother. Both of them shared matching expressions; revulsion of equal measure.

"I've been meaning to ask, why are you so indifferent to our arrangements?"

"You think I had a choice in the matter? My mother announced she was getting remarried and I should play nice with you. That's it."

Kyoko couldn't help but sneer at him "That's it? The _great_ Byakuya Togami folded to his mother's whims, just like that?"

Togami answered her with a blank stare. "Doing as that woman says is safer for my well-being. Putting up with _you _is nothing compared to what might happen to me if I didn't."

Kyoko would ask what he meant...but she was probably better off not knowing for once.

"My own mother threatening my life aside, I'd have gone through with this even if she didn't. Sometimes a little sacrifice is necessary for peace and happiness. That's an integral component in being family."

"I never thought I'd hear those words coming from you. Does your mother really mean that much to you? From what I know of your family circumstances, Mari might as well be unrelated to you."

Togami grunted with disapproval. Not at Kyoko, but acknowledgement of the ludicrous tradition his family followed religiously "I'll admit that's partly true but al the more reason I'm willing to make sacrifices. Telling me about your father was the first time I'd seen that woman genuinely happy in years. Going along with her whims for the sake of that happiness is fine."

Togami...smiled. It was neither a sneer, a smirk, nor a grin. For the first time, she'd seen an honest smile on one of the most aggravating men she'd ever met.

...

"You're not so bad when you're honest with yourself." Kyoko deadpanned.

"Be quiet."

* * *

"There you have it. We'll be letting Togami take charge for now, Shuichi." Kyoko addressed her partner. Kyoko was close enough to him that they could speak informally now, but she did so under the terms that he would never put on that cap whenever they were alone.

"That makes sense, there wasn't much else a bunch of kids could do."

"Don't get me wrong. I fully plan to take credit for Amagami's capture. If Togami thinks he'll swindle us then he's got another thing coming." Kyoko hadn't _fully_ gotten over her distrustful nature yet.

"That's going a bit far." Shuichi sweatdropped. "I'll be happy as long as the drug peddling stops."

"You're right. And I suppose that'll be the end of our partnership."

"Eh? We don't have to-...you're messing with me, aren't you?" Shuichi frowned at Kyoko's smile.

"I was partly serious. Remember what I said about relying on others?" Kyoko switched to professionalism

"I-I don't think we'd be dependent on each other. There's no reason why we couldn't stay friends."

Kyoko knew that Shuichi wished for his hat to cover his face right then and there. The shyness was endearing, but..._confidence_, how many times must she say it?

"I was asking for your sake more than anything; I'll readily admit to being a difficult person to be around."

"That's not true! You're the most amazing girl I've ever met." Shuichi exclaimed.

Kyoko was taken aback by the sudden passion.

Shuichi floundered after his outburst, trying to form what she could only assume was coherent speech.

"Shuichi...take a deep breath." She ordered.

"S-Sorry." He said, failing to meet her eyes.

Kyoko wasn't stupid, she knew Shuichi held feelings for her that ran deeper than friendship. Unfortunately, she had no idea how to deal with it; intimacy had never been her strong suit, this is information anybody who knew Kyoko Kirigiri would attest to, Shuichi included. Which made it all the more puzzling why he hadn't given up on her yet.

At the moment, this atmosphere was un-salvageable.

"I'll be going now." Kyoko stood up.

"Where to, if I may ask?" Shuichi inquired, shyly.

"The hospital. An acquaintance of mine said he had something to tell me, but his sickness has taken a turn for the worse. I'm going to check up on him" She hadn't been able to meet him once he lapsed into critical condition.

* * *

Komaeda passed away near the Fall's end.

Kyoko wasn't sure how to feel. She was no stranger to death, all her relatives save one were gone. Additionally, Komaeda had the grim reaper behind his back long before she met him. And while she may not have been with him on his deathbed, she understood Komaeda enough to have a good idea of what his final thoughts would have been like: '_I don't have many regrets. Everyone dies when their time comes, so it shouldn't be surprising to find myself expiring a few years early. This is fine.'_ \- It would have been along those lines. A fabrication to avoid the pain of his circumstances. Komaeda's talent for deceiving himself was greater than the effects any opiate or painkiller could administer.

But for once, Kyoko wouldn't disparage him. She, who revered the truth more than anyone else, also knew that lies could protect the self in ways the truth never could. If nothing else, she hopes this was the case. For were Komaeda to face the truth at the very end, then it would surely have brought despair beyond measure. (What Kyoko means to say is, she hoped Komaeda passed away peacefully.)

Kyoko attended the funeral held a week later, wearing traditional black garb. The gray skies and white snow fit the mood greatly. And to the surprise of few, attendance was scarce. Besides her, the ones who showed up were his classmates, all of them lacking the joviality she'd experienced once when she entered their classroom. Tsumiki in particular, appeared beyond approach. There was one other girl Kyoko had never seen before. She had dull grey eyes and short, dark brown hair with an antennae-like strand sticking out. She looked to be no more than a fledgling high-school girl based on appearances.

In total, only a little over a dozen people showed up; a pitifully small count to an outside observer. Surely an indication that the deceased had left little mark on those remaining in the world. Kyoko would refute the notion. Komaeda once implied that he had not a single person who cared for him. Yet Kyoko witnessed a count of 17 _more_ than zero, herself included. 18 were one to count Makoto.

Nagito Komaeda had been loved; it was a pity he didn't realize it.

Kyoko paid little mind to the priest's sermons. They rang hollow. And Kyoko wasn't one to believe in the supernatural or the afterlife, as cold as it may sound at present. When the procession was over, she bid her final goodbyes.

Walking outside of the cemetery, Kyoko spotted something that widened her eyes. It was straw-berry blond hair; the kind she had only ever seen on Junko Enoshima. But the figure disappeared after a blink of the eye. Kyoko dismissed the sighting as a trick of the mind. There was no reason for that woman to ever set foot here.

...

"We had the funeral today, Makoto." She spoke to the boy in the coma. She felt sorry for Makoto more than anyone else, currently. She knew how much the boy cared about Komaeda, only to miss the last moment's of the latter's life.

_**'(Hey, can I ask a personal question?')**_

_**('I'm trying to find a present for someone, it's kind of an anniversary gift for a…not a **_**_friend_**_** but someone close. I thought you'd have an idea on what I should get them.')**_

_**('He's my roommate. I don't think we're quite friends but we're definitely more than acquaintances…probably.')**_

At the time, Kyoko couldn't understand why Makoto was so flustered over his relationship with the roommate in question. It was If she'd paid more attention, she might have been more help with picking out a present.

Speaking of which, Komaeda had left her something to be handed after his death. It was a farewell gift or sorts, but whether it was a welcomed one was a matter of perspective.

_Kirigiri, I have a request. It's presumptuous of me to say, but I'd like you to forget about Makoto. You see, he's a bit dull in the head. In fact, I don't think I've met anyone so frustratingly dense in my short life. That's why I know he'll be depressed after I'm gone. It's stupid I know but like I said, he's an idiot. That's where you come in; if you're together, he'll definitely use you as a crutch. Even without factoring my death, Makoto has a good deal of problems that he needs to overcome by himself, and he won't do that if he has someone as competent as yourself to rely on. Although, this goes both ways, and I don't think you need me to explain that. This is simply a request on my part that I think will work out for both of you. You're free to dismiss it entirely and I wouldn't mind. Goodbye. _

The clarity of the letter suggested Komaeda had someone write the paper for him. As of late, he had lost the ability to write legibly and he _refused_ to let anyone else touch the diary, much less write in it. He must have been uncharacteristically serious.

...

"I can't exactly argue back if you're not here." And she wouldn't easily refuse a dead man's final wish. Komaeda probably took that into account. Add that she reluctantly admitted there was truth to the text... "You're unpleasant." Right to the very end.

She took the sheet of paper and ripped it apart. There were no limits to his turpitude.

Kyoko smirked, having thought of a good way to vent her frustrations while simultaneously giving into an urge that had plagued her for too long.

She planted her lips on Makoto's, savoring the lingering sensation as long as she could before pulling back.

There was no need for to play completely according to Komaeda's script - Kyoko thought as she left the room. Taking one final look back at the sleeping boy, smiling sadly.

"Goodbye, Makoto." She knows he'll overcome this. After all, he was stronger than anyone she knew. Kyoko wouldn't come back here again. Not just because of the one-sided promise on Komaeda's end but for both Makoto's and her sake. Kyoko was too reliant on him. All the grief she'd accumulated had eased the day she learned he was still alive. Her insomnia subsided quickly after, suggesting the despair that he'd abandoned her was the cause. On the other side, Kyoko agreed with Komaeda. If Makoto were to wake up in the scheduled time then he might cling to her, without thinking of standing on his own two feet. And she in turn would feed off him. What was that, if not dependence?

She liked Makoto. She loved him. But right now, he was dragging her down.

It was an ugly, selfish thought that filled Kyoko with self-revulsion but she'd be unhappier were she to ignore her feelings...

"Ha...hahaha." She let out a hollow laugh as tears fell from her eyes. Kyoko Kirigiri wasn't one to cry, not one single event would be able to move her to such an emotional state. That's why this phenomenon was a result of an assault on three fronts; the melancholic atmosphere left by Komaeda's death, abandoning Makoto and immediately following that, the sudden epiphany regarding a rooted problem in her life that spanned more than a decade. Kyoko finally found the answer she'd searched for.

"...Well what do you know? I'm my father's daughter, after all."

* * *

_"You wanted to see me, Kyoko?" Jin Kirigiri sat behind his desk, giving his daughter permission to enter his office._

_"I think it's time I heard the truth. Why did you run away from your duties as a detective?" She got straight to the point_

_"Why did I leave my family, you mean?"_

_"Yes. Don't worry, my current opinion of you is unlikely to change, and I won't get angry. So just tell me the truth - I am entitled to that much." She crossed her arms._

_"I suppose you deserve that." Jin acquiesced._

_He trailed off for a moment, Kyoko presumed he was looking for a starting point...or an excuse._

_"Kyoko, do you remember your mother at all?"_

_"There are some pictures in the old house, but no. Not even the faintest memories remain."_

_Jin smiled. "Looking at you now, I wouldn't be surprised if you were sisters. You'd always taken after her in every way."_

_"Then she is the reason you left?"_

_"Yes, she is at the center. Did father ever tell you how she died?"_

_"He told me she perished in a car accident. Both of us were lucky to survive but she and the other driver died."_

_"I'm sure that's what he would say. But that's a lie." Jin sighed. "She was killed in what was a staged accident. I won't tell you the perpetrator's name but he was a criminal I captured in my career and he had recently been released. He wanted revenge, even if it cost him his life in the process. Your mother was a victim of that vengeance."_

_Kyoko's eyes widened at the revelation, expecting Jin to continue._

_The man in question paused for a moment "Kyoko, what do you love about being a detective? Are you proud of your career?"_

_Kyoko shifted slightly at the change in direction. "Pride has nothing to do it; it was a duty left to me by grandfather and I intend to honor it. But, if I must answer the question, then yes. I've never hated being a detective. It's a dangerous and unpleasant line of work but someone has to do it. I'm able to protect the innocent this way, and to be frank, I would rather live a harsh life under my control than a peaceful one born of ignorance to the world."_

_"I thought you'd say that. You told me the same thing when you were a little girl...although, not quite as articulately." Jin shook his head in exasperation and faint affection. _ _Then let me give you __**my**__ answer. I was never proud to be a detective. While there were certain pros to job but I wasn't cut out for it; I couldn't stand making a living by exposing the truths people desperately tried to hide and condemning them. It was fine if they were monsters to begin with, but you should know that most criminals are victims of circumstance. With doubts like that, I don't believe I was ever fit for the title."_

_"You sound like you sympathize with your wife's killer." Kyoko's eyes narrowed._

_In contrast, Jin was profoundly shocked by the accusation. Like his daughter, he wasn't one to let his emotions show easily, indicating his daughter had hit the mark. "Sympathize with Keiko's murderer? ...Come to think of it, his initial crime wasn't especially malicious, just a typical hooligan who made a mistake and acted on impulse. That he'd throw his life away for trivial vengeance could be called pitiful." Jin chuckled darkly and mockingly, recalling an old sin. "As expected, you're much more suited to detective work than me, in a few seconds, you've stumbled onto what I couldn't in years. You're right, I do feel sorry for him and I wish I'd realized it in the past. Maybe then, I wouldn't have done what I did."_

_Kyoko arched an eyebrow "What...do you mean?"_

_"The report to the police was that the man died on impact of the car crash. That's not true either."_

_"Why would grandfather lie about that?" Beads of sweat formed on Kyoko's head as the detective felt that she was treading dangerous ground._

_"He didn't, Father just didn't know. I'm the one who covered it up." Jin smiled ruefully._

_"Hah?" Kyoko gasped. He...didn't. He couldn't have..._

_"My memory of that time is near-perfect. I remember the blood on your mother's body and you lying unconscious in the backseat. I knew Keiko was dead, but you were still breathing and your safety became my first priority. After making sure you were fine, I moved onto the next priority. Ascertaining the situation in the other car. Bitter I may have been at the time, I was still an officer and protecting the lives of everyone involved was my obligation." Jin almost mockingly recited an old creed that so many honorable men followed and respected. "You couldn't imagine my surprise at who was behind the wheel. I don't forget a face so I remembered him on the spot and it didn't take more than a few moments to put the pieces together. Though to be fair, his revolting and broken laughter probably helped on that front. I examined his body and spotted internal bleeding and a number of other wounds; his chances of survival were about 20% or maybe lower. If an ambulance was called immediately, there was a chance he might have lived." Jin Kirigri's eyes turned glacial. He'd claimed Kyoko's most prominent traits came from her mother, but the icy expression he showed now was one she couldn't match, even at her most formidable._

_**"I didn't want that. I couldn't accept a possibility above 0% that this filth could spend another minute in this world. **__I was an aspiring detective, men admired me and grieved over my...our loss over such a petty motive. So even if anyone like say, Kizakura, had suspicions...they wouldn't voice them." It was a face that Kyoko had never seen on her father before._

_"So you see, Kyoko. I didn't run away from my duties. I crushed them to pieces with my own hands beyond recovery, I couldn't go back after that. It was guilt. Not because I killed a man, but because I'd let him murder my wife then betrayed my father, my associates, and you." Jin closed his eyes "When I searched you for a pulse, I'd over looked an injury...your hands."_

_Kyoko gripped the glove on her other hand._

_"The doctors told me I wouldn't have been able to do anything about the scars even if I'd acted faster...but the reality that I wasted an __**iota**__ of millisecond on that filth while overlooking your pain brought me to the brink of insanity. I had no right to carry on my duties, and I had even less right to be around you. I put on a farce of acceptance for a year after accident until I couldn't do it anymore." He sighed. Jin Kirigiri was an aged and tired man. Not in body, but in spirit. "I am not a good man, and I am even worse father. I wont make excuses. I couldn't live with you so I left to travel the world." It was on those travels that he'd met Mari...and let's just say there was a very good reason why her ancestral background didn't discourage this former detective._

_Kyoko wouldn't have cared for excuses anyway. She'd asked for the truth but this was inconceivable. "You... just confessed to murder." She breathed out._

_"Indeed. I, the headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy admit to killing a wounded man. And to a potential officer of the law." Jin crossed his finger and laid back on his chair. They both knew how this worked."Now then, I will leave the ball in your court now."_

_"...You think I won't arrest you?" Kyoko spat, indignantly._

_"You are my daughter and there is __**nothing**__ in my life I'm more proud of. Any choice you make will be the correct one."_

_Kyoko grit her teeth. What was wrong with all the men in her life? Each and every one of them only knew how to hurt her...Then wasn't this her chance? With a single call, she could get the revenge she'd craved to the extent that it became second nature. She could pay them all back with this. She could..._

_It was a portrait of her father carrying her at the park. A memory that failed to fade even to this day..._

_**("Sometimes a little sacrifice is necessary for peace and happiness. That's an integral component in being family.")**_

_**("Telling me about your father was the first time I'd seen that woman genuinely happy in years. Going along with her whims for the sake of that happiness is fine.")**_

_With a loud sigh, Kyoko stood from her chair and turned away, moving towards the door._

_"Kyo-" Jin was cut off_

_"I wanted to hear the truth, not to listen to the ramblings of a drunken man. I'm disappointed that you've picked up Kizakura's habits." Kyoko snapped._

_"But there was one semblance of truth there." She cast him a disappointed look; one similar to a child who learned the hero they aspired to be was nothing but a fraud "You were never fit to be a detective after all, Jin." She closed the door behind her._

_Jin sat in silence, picking up the frame he treasured dearly on his desk._

* * *

Kyoko laughed. She didn't have the right to rebuke Jin anymore. Who knows? Maybe they can get along better now.

But before that, there was someone she needed to see. The detective pulled out her cell and searched through the list of contacts. She still had Hina's number. It wouldn't hurt to call her and try to make-up...No, it would be better if she met Hina in person. She had that opportunity, no need to waste it.

-3 years later-

"Here are the autopsy reports, ma'am."

"Good work. Leave them on my desk." Kyoko Kirigiri's eyes didn't leave her computer's screen nor did her typing halt as she addressed her, evidently nervous, subordinate.

Sensing his anxiety, she looked over the contents of the report and then locked eyes with her newest intern. He was a man who looked patently out of place in the office. Well, not much moreso than she did.

"By the way, how are you fitting in, Hinata?" She said.

"Uh, great. Everyone here's so nice and fun to be around." Hajime Hinata replied, although his wording was ill-phrased considering the nature of their occupation.

"And I've heard nothing but praise for you on their end." She smiled

"Thanks, I try my best, that probably sounds like nothing when compared to you though."

_I think you're the one doing the overestimating now… but it was debatably warranted_

After all, she'd become the director of one of the Future Foundation, one of the foremost detective agencies in the country before reaching 20, and right after graduation. To say her promotion was unheard of was the understatement of the century. Naturally, some were envious, others indignant and displeased. Thinking that Kyoko had only gained her position through her…connections. But nobody could deny it after she was among the ones who brought down a rising CEO in one of the biggest scandals in the country's history.

Kyoko wasn't satisfied with that fame however, and she made sure to keep up her work ethic. Once in charge, she'd brought any dissenters to heel within a matter of weeks; either through gaining their respect and admiration for her results, or demanding their letters of resignation. Kyoko cared not for whichever option they picked but she'd argue the ones that stayed and adapted were better off.

Everyone in the company understood that she wasn't a _harsh_ boss, nor was she a particularly demanding one. As long as they did their job, she could be flexible and lenient – It was for that reason that Hinata could deem his fellow workers so cheerful and easy-going despite surrounded by morbid assignments.

However, they also understood that Kyoko Kirigiri had one iron-clad rule that must never be broken, lest they risk their next paycheck.

"By the way…I haven't heard from Asahina all day. Where is she?" Kyoko asked. And yes, she couldn't fathom _how, _but the Ex-Ultimate Swimming Pro had miraculously accompanied Kyoko every step of the way. Kyoko admitted her best friend had genuine talent for the occupation, moreso the physical side but she wasn't lacking mentally either. Hina had proven her worth, batting away all of Kyoko's grievances.

Hinata stiffened at what should have been a simple question. "Asahina took an early lunch break."

"…At 10:00 in the morning?" Kyoko raised an eyebrow. Could he not have thought up a better lie? "That doesn't seem very responsible for the one who was supposed to be training you."

He froze…really now.

"Very well. When Asahina comes back, tell her we won't be requiring her services today."

"S-SHE'S FIRED!?" Hinata squeaked out…a bit too loudly as a few heads turned their way.

"…No. She's free to go just for today." Really, what kind of tyrant did he thinks he was? "The workspace has been running a bit too smoothly and we don't have any cases that require her attention. And since _you_ have the ropes down already, there _literally_ is nothing for her to do."

The intern let out a deep breath. With that kind of personality, he was doomed to get teased by his peers.

"My, that's quite the reaction. Did you think I'd fire her over a single misstep?" Kyoko humored the man.

"Um…well…it's just that…" He trailed off.

"Just _what_? If you don't answer honestly, I'll put you on the hardest case I've got right now, _solo_. I'm sure Kizakura won't mind that hassle being taken off his hands." She was lying but he didn't need to know that.

"The rule." He started, eyes drifting towards the clock located in front of him. One of the first decisions Kyoko made once she became director was installing three times as many clocks as before. Every room had at least one stationed where the workers could see. This decision had been made for a single reason.

"Tardiness isn't acceptable under any circumstance." Hinata said

"Indeed. It doesn't matter what your excuse is. I will never pardon lateness; be it arriving late, stalling on a case or even handing a report a minute after the deadline." Kyoko's tone was dispassionate and her composure static, as if she were indulging in any other mundane conversation…however… Hinata stepped back from her gaze. That reaction implied he felt the weight of her words.

She hoped that was the case. Because if so, his future as a detective was even more promising than she imagined.

"There's no need to get so tense. Just work to the best of your ability and any mission can be completed in the allotted time. I would never put you in a situation where you wouldn't have a considerable chance of success." Kyoko assured the detective. She wasn't an unreasonable woman.

"Thank you, ma'am. In that case, I should get _back _to work now, unless I want to be fired." He joked.

"That's the spirit." Kyoko smiled.

Hinata bowed and strutted off to his desk.

The day passed smoothly, orderly and efficiently, as it should have.

...

"Kyo-Director Kirigiri." Asahina came through her door a moment later.

"...Did you pass by Hinata on the way?"

"Yeah, but I ran passed him before he could say anything, why?"

"...Never mind." Kyoko sighed. Okay the late rule...didn't apply impartially to _everybody_. There goes her professionalism. But she could make any exception for the bubbly Aoi Asahina. "So, where have you been?"

"I was training with one of my new friends." Hina answered.

"I've noticed you haven't been as early as of late. New boyfriend?" Kyoko teased

"N-No way! I already have..." Hina blushed.

"Already have...what...or is it who?" Kyoko asked.

"Never mind that. How about you? You haven't been on any dates since...Saihara, was it? Why'd you two break up anyway?" Hina tilted her head.

"Shuichi and I saw different things in each other. We still keep in touch though." Kyoko had bittersweet memories of her first partner, who'd made quite the name for himself and was a detective of international fame. Anyone who saw him on TV would never believe he was an insecure boy who couldn't stay in a room with a girl he liked without hiding his face away.

"Wow...he's a lot tougher than he looks." Hina sounded impressed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kyoko frowned.

"N-Nothing." She backpedaled and whipped out her cellphone. "Here's a picture of the guy I was telling you about."

Kyoko gazed at the device with scrutiny before she let out a gasp. "Ma...koto?"

"Eh? You know him?" It was Hina's turn to elicit surprise. Kyoko didn't reply instantly, instead memorized by the photo. He was older, taller, more rugged and looked healthier than she remembered. But she would never forget his face, not to mention that hair stood the test of time. Unfortunately, she also remembered leaving him.

She shoved the cell-phone back in Hina's palm. "...Describe him."

"Huh?"

"_What's he like_?" Kyoko said, more forcefully than intended. "...Sorry, I'm curious."

"O-Oh. Um...he's...honestly kind of a downer, and really sarcastic. You wouldn't believe how we met." Hina closed her eyes and shook her head, missing an uncharacteristic flinch from Kyoko. What she was describing was nothing like the boy she knew. Did she make a mistake by heeding Komaeda's request?

"Buuut he's got a really good heart. And his smile is gorgeous when he tries. He just needs someone to open up to, so I was thinking of introducing you two."

...That made Kyoko feel a little better. Those characteristics of his still rang true. "What makes you think me of all people would be of any use in counseling?"

"Why not? You're a great listener." Hina was still as innocent as ever.

"Have you told him about me?"

"No, why?"

"That's good. Don't." Kyoko ordered.

"Why!?" Hina yelled

"I'll explain everything some day; it's an embarrassing part of my past. For now, just listen to me or I'm cutting your pay."

"I take it back. You're not as good a person after all." Hina pouted.

"That's right, I'm a demon lord of this castle, don't forget it." Kyoko smirked. "And in my opinion, I think you're a better match for Makoto than me."

"Stop it, I already-...Hey, I'm not falling for that!" Hina blushed again.

"No, seriously. Who are you seeing?" Kyoko was playing around before but curiosity was starting to kick in. And when she got curious...

"I'm not telling!" The girl ran away.

Kyoko giggled. Who'd have ever thought she could carry on girl's talk like that?

...Makoto woke up huh?

A small smile made it's way onto her features. "I wonder if he still remembers our promise." And Kyoko hoped he felt as bad about failing to uphold it as she did about leaving him. It's only fair that way.

Then again, there's no reason they couldn't meet up in the future. If he wants to, he could probably find her. If he's friends with Hina, it's only a matter of time before he clues in.

* * *

Over the course of a year, Kyoko would occasionally ask Hina for Makoto's progress. The detective had already divulged the nature of her relationship, which she immediately regretted when her friend exploded in a combination of (contradictory) emotions.

_"I need to punch him."_

_"No. And isn't he still ill? I don't think that's appropriate conduct for an officer...or any decent human being."_

_"I'll wait __**then**__ punch him!"_

_"Please don't."_

_"Then you two totally have to get back together."_

_"No."_

_"Kyokoooo!"_

_"Not until he's ready."_

It went something like that. Well Hina cried a lot at first, Kyoko couldn't fathom why. It wasn't _that_ dramatic a story. Nevertheless, Kyoko was thankful for the tanned girl's updates. From the logs she was given, Makoto was steadily improving. That's all she could ask for.

Makoto aside. She'd only received news that Junko was coming back into town. Kyoko wouldn't be one bit surprised if the Ex-Fashionista would break into her office, somehow ignoring security. All as well, Kyoko hadn't seen the girl since graduation. Junko aside, most of her classmates were also overseas.

Sakura was a prominent world class fighter

Leon was in the major leagues for baseball

Chihiro became a scientist abroad

Sayaka worked as an actress

Hifumi traveled the world in search of inspiration for his writing.

Byakuya was currently outside the country on meetings.

Celeste finally made enough money to buy a castle in Europe and...honestly, Kyoko doubted any of them would ever see the Ex-Ultimate gambler again unless they went to visit.

The ones that still remained were Kiyotaka, Mondo, Toko, Hina, Hagakure and herself. Kiyotaka was a notable politician, with a polarizing fan base; a sizable number of the population couldn't forget the embarrassment from when his grandfather was prime minister, but Kiyotaka's work ethic and perseverance was formidable enough to turn the tide. Mondo was still leading a fearsome gang, but she heard he also worked as a carpenter on the side. Toko kept in touch at times, her talent at writing hadn't faltered one bit; Kyoko had even read one of the author's books in her spare time. Hagakure was in debt somewhere; she could be sure of that and yet he miraculously evaded arrests and loan sharks time and again. Kyoko just hopes the day would never come when she'd arrest him for fraud.

...Nobody knew where Mukuro went, save likely her sister. The Ex-Ultimate Soldier had demonstrated a sudden change in personality towards the end of their senior year and after that, none of them could keep up with her. Not even Junko, much to her despair.

* * *

"Kyoko!" Hina ran into her office.

"Look." She planted a newspaper on her desk. It was a tabloid about Sayaka and...Makoto? It was a typical story about a famous idol's secret romance with a handsome nobody.

"Why are you showing me this?" Kyoko asked.

"You have to tell Sayaka to back off. She'll totally listen."

"Do we even know if they're dating? This could just be an exaggeration."

"Does it matter? You have to snatch him up before it's too late. Makoto's a good catch you know."

"I'm not all that bothered. And if you think he's so great, then why don't _you_ chase him?"

Hina froze and then frowned at the detective. Kyoko always turned these situations around on the athlete, in hopes of discovering _her_ secret romance.

"You know, I'll find out eventually." Kyoko smirked at the girl who stormed out of the office. Then looked at the picture in the paper, perplexed.

"Hmm...he sure is having fun." Kyoko smiled.

* * *

Kyoko walked into her office in the morning and saw a magazine on her desk that shouldn't have been there. It was...a magazine featuring provocatively dressed male models. Was this someone's idea of a prank? She hadn't made any overt rules against magazines of this nature in the workplace, but it should be common sens-

Wait a minute. Kyoko focused on the half-naked man on the cover. He was...familiar, but at the same time a completely different person. "Makoto?"

Kyoko's shoulders started shaking, she covered her mouth with her glove and the rested the other on the table to support her. Were any of the company's workers to bear witness, they would dismiss the sight as a freak hallucination. Kyoko Kirigiri, the foundation's ice queen was giggling uncontrollably.

"What _the hell_ is he doing?" She laughed. Makoto looked so ridiculously out of character that Kyoko suppressed urge to contact him for the first time in years and tease him _relentlessly_.

Kyoko settled down after a while, looking through his photo shoots. "...These aren't bad, I guess." Her cheeks tinted red.

"I know right!? He's totally hot!" A certain idiot made her presence known.

"This was your doing?" All trace of amusement vanished from her face as she looked up from the magazine to see Hina's face peeking out from the door. A few of her co-workers as well.

"Hehehehe. Happy birthday?" Hina laughed awkwardly.

"Thanks, you'll be spending it with me working overtime."

"I'm sorry!" Hina whined.

* * *

A knock was heard on her door.

Kyoko peered up from her work to see Koichi Kizakura, slouching on the wall, his arm outstretched to reach the door.

"How long have you been there?" She hadn't even heard him come in.

"A few minutes. You must be real engrossed in to not have noticed me, birthday girl." Kizakura said, taking off his hat.

"I was taking care of someone's unfinished business…but I should be done now. Shouldn't you be keeping busy yourself?"

"Princess, quitting time was hours ago." Kizakura raised an eyebrow.

Kyoko's eyes widened. She lifted the window curtain and found it, was indeed the dead of night. She lost track of time completely…

"Have the other employees gone home?" Kyoko said.

"Yeah, I told the last few to bail half an hour ago."

_30 minutes?_

"I thought you said we closed hours ago. Why were they still here?" She narrowed her eyes "I'm not paying them overtime if that's what they're thinking, and I told Hina she could go home."

Koichi apparently found that comment highly amusing and broke out into laughter.

"If they heard that, their hearts might break…or maybe not, some of them like that side of you."

Kyoko gave him confused look.

"They stayed because they knew their beloved Ice Queen, Kyoko-sama, had been dragged into someone else's mess and lost track of time…_again_."

"Do you really want to hand in your letter of resignation that much?" If glares could kill, Kyoko would have had this man in a casket the next second.

"Ouch. I'd _hate_ to go back to working for Jin (my best friend and your dad, btw) and getting paid obscene amounts of money for doing jack shit." He said, sarcastically.

She really wished she could fire him…but he was too good at his job, the best they had even. Why did such a frustrating man have to be competent to boot?

"Really, Kyoko. This company's younger workers might as well be your fan-club, interact and count on them more. No need to work yourself to death." Koichi said in one of his rare serious moments.

Kyoko smirked in retaliation. "I wonder about that. The intern acts like I might bite his head off if he so much as made one wrong move."

"Intern? Ah, Hajime. Cute kid. I scouted him, you know." The main praised himself "Anyway~, I'd love to stay but I have a date with a hot gym teacher and I'm not leaving until you are."

"I don't have a ride home. Is that an offer?" Kyoko asked.

"Not quite. " Kizakura grinned "I already called your dear brother a while back."

"…_You didn't_."

"Better hurry, cause I don't think anyone wants to be on the other side of his bitching." The Ex- Ultimate Scout's amusement grew by the second.

She gracefully flipped him off.

"What happened to the adorable little princess that always wanted me to hold her hand?"

"She's right here, and if you're willing, I'd _love_ to do it again." With a push of the button, Kyoko's outstretched glove charged with electricity. "Now, let's hold hands. Just like old times."

Koichi gulped "Far be it from me to refuse an invitation from a beautiful lady but I'm a one woman man and like I said, I already have a date."

Kyoko clicked her tongue as he ran off.

* * *

Kyoko walked down the steps of the large 30 story office building, taking a moment to glance at the falling snow and white terrain. Fall was a beautiful season.

She came across an outrageously expensive looking convertible in the parking lot. But what captured the Ex-Ultimate Detective's attention was the man sitting in it.

"Another late night?" Byakuya Togami said. Kyoko discerned he was quite displeased, even if he didn't outwardly show it. They were similar in the respect that they believed outbursts to be unneeded to convey emotion.

"Yes, unfortunately." She said, sitting the passenger's seat.

"I'm surprised you came. I thought you would have sent Aloysius."

"He's getting on in his old age. No need to waste his time on this." Byakuya started the car and hit the road at what was probably over the speed limit.

"Is that an insult at me or is Byakuya Togami admitting he thinks someone else's time is more important than his own?"

"You were always good at being silent; please resume that behavior right now." He countered. After Kyoko didn't respond, he continued "That was a joke. You're a thousand times more tolerable than the utter _bore_ you were before. I'm here for your birthday."

Kyoko smiled "So you do care."

"Tch." Byakuya clicked his tongue. It was a trait they shared.

Kyoko took a few moments to bask in her petty victory.

_…Before huh?_

Kyoko took out a mirror from her purse and flipped it open. Her appearance was made visible in its reflection. She had changed since that Fall, there was no doubting that fact; her body had become more feminine, more defined. She had traded in her purple outfit for black office wear.

"...How's Kai?" Kyoko asked out of the blue.

"As spoiled as always. He got saliva all over my new suit the last time I saw him." Byakuya voiced his grievances but Kyoko also detected traces of affection mixed in.

The two were now unofficially, officially step-siblings. Their parents had gotten married not long after their graduation and even had a child now. Kai, a precocious little boy who took a strong liking to Kyoko ever since birth. Though, Kyoko had no idea how to deal with a child's affection, which often made things awkward on her end. Still, while Kyoko would never admit it to Jin, she was glad to have another Kirigiri in the family.

She glanced at Byakuya. He had changed as well. His hair had grown slightly longer, he was more muscular and had stopped wearing glasses. Although, Kyoko hadn't really understood the reason for Byakuya's final change until she asked. The heir had responded with. "The less I have in common with Toko, the better." Too bad for him, the author had given up her glasses not long after...and Kyoko didn't miss how he actually called the author by name instead of some vile moniker or another. It was a sign that even Byakuya had matured somewhat.

Without a doubt, their teenage years had ended.

To distract herself, she focused her eyes on the road

"…Wait, this isn't the way home."

"I'm starving. We're going to a restaurant." He decided. Of course, her opinion had never factored into the equation…or perhaps it had and he assumed I hadn't eaten yet, which was actually true.

"Wake me up when we get there." The CEO requested as she fell into a well-deserved sleep.

* * *

"Hey, don't those two look like a celebrity couple?"

"Yeah, totally."

Bystanders gossiped near their dining table and Kyoko couldn't help overhearing. That kind of irresponsible talk couldn't be avoided even at high class restaurants.

"That's quite the imagination they've got. Then again, who would ever thought we'd get along like this a few years ago? " Kyoko said. It got tiring hearing comments of that nature whenever the two of them are out in public.

"Don't tell me you're actually paying attention to those fools. You're worth more than that now." Byakuya replied.

A malicious thought crossed Kyoko's mind. If she timed it right…

"I appreciate the sentiment…" Kyoko said slowly, as she waited for Byakuya to bring the cup to his lips. "…Big brother."

Byakuya choked on the contents of the glass and simulated a miniature seizure.

Kyoko snickered and then soon burst into a fit of uncharacteristic laughter. There was just some pleasures in life that couldn't be passed up.

He stared at Kyoko with the picture of disgust. To be fair, even she felt creeped out but the payoff had been more than worth it.

"Can you not call me that,_ my dear little sister?_" He snarled.

Kyoko's amusement scattered away like ashes in a tornado as she reactively shuddered at the moniker. "...That was unpleasant. My apologies." Somethings would never change.

"So, what have you been up to in my absence? Ah, that's supposing you have a life and not just a drone slaving away at work." Byakuya questioned in typical Byakuya fashion.

"Nothing much, in that case. " Kyoko didn't bite. "I've been catching up with Junko, Mukuro and Sayaka the past few days. I can say that I'm never bored."

"Then what's this about a man that Asahina's been blabbering about?" Unbeknownst to Kyoko, Byakuya knew the whole story. _Just about everyone in their class_ did. Trusting a secret to be kept by Aoi was like walking tightrope. A secret _also_ shared by a blabbermouth like Enoshima? You might as kill yourself right there and save time. The problem was that Aoi also told him that Kyoko was taking an all-too-passive approach to the matter.

"...You talked to Hina? Before me?" Kyoko dropped her glass.

"Is that a problem?" Byakuya answered with another question. But he couldn't fool Kyoko's eyes. She saw a slight alteration in posture and facial expression.

"Yes. I wasn't aware you two were on good terms."

"Even the great Kyoko Kirigiri can't know everything that goes on around her." He rolled his eyes.

"So you _do_ get along." Kyoko laughed. This explains a few things.

"Are you done dodging the question?" Byakuya sneered at her.

"Just about. There's nothing much to say on that front. Makoto can freely do as he likes, but I'm sure he'll keep his promise. I believe him.

"...I didn't think you were such an easy woman." Byakuya raised an eyebrow.

"Byakuya...you're a pioneer of the business world, correct?"

"...Yes? That should be fairly obvious." The ex-Ultimate Affluent Progeny scrunched his face, wondering where the detective was taking this conversation. He didn't miss the slight chill in the air either.

"Have you ever loaned money or assets for investment purposes? Particularly to budding business trying to take off?"

"All the time, It's how I buy stocks and _own_ those companies. Why?"

"In that case, the patrons you've invested so much in are free to use those assets as they wish...but largely according to _your_ benefit in the long term." Kyoko smiled sweetly, only serving to perturb Byakuya further. "So tell me, Byakuya...Do those investments, ever _really_ stop being yours?"

...

"Well well, you're finally starting to sound like a Togami." Byakuya grinned in approval. He might have even laughed if they weren't in public.

"Apologies, but I'm a Kirigiri. Always will be, even after I'm married."

"...You're not even giving him a choice in this, are you?" Upon spotting a wicked, obsessive glint in Kyoko's eye, Byakuya could only feel dread for a man he'd never met. He should have picked a more sensible woman.

"No."


	4. Together

It was in the Fall where Kyoko found something irreplaceable.

At that same time, she lost it.

Now, 6 years later, she would take it back.

Kyoko received a text from Makoto the day before, asking to meet her at the garden. The wait finally came to an end. She never doubted it would - nevertheless, it seemed surreal after all this time.

The CEO went on a trip down memory lane once she stepped onto the familiar path. She was just a naïve, hopeless little girl back then. It embarrassed her just thinking of the sheer number of missteps she'd made.

The scenery was as she remembered it. The garden had degraded somewhat, but that only accentuated its archaic lustre. It was a beautiful ruin.

Kyoko looked upwards, smiling faintly at the cherry-blossoms in full bloom. The landscape made Kyoko feel like she was in a dream. That effect was greatly enhanced by the man who sat in the atrium.

He looked up as well and crossed eyes with Kyoko for the first time in what felt like an eternity.

"Hi. Been a while." Makoto waved, sporting a cheesy grin. His voice shook Kyoko slightly, pulling the woman out of her trance.

Makoto beckoned her to sit by him. Instead Kyoko chose to sit across, a small space separating the two. He didn't know if that action meant something but in hindsight, he preferred it this way. Their position made it easier for him to consider all the changes and how much more beautiful she became.

"Longer for me than it has for you. And it's strange seeing you here first." Kyoko said, sitting cross-legged.

"If I remember right, _I_ was always the first one here." Makoto scratched his cheek.

"Really? Why was that anyway?"

"I…_couldn't wait to see you_?" His voice raised to a higher pitch.

"That's a good line. But I don't think it's appropriate to use on someone you've dodged for years." Kyoko smirked, and placed a gloved finger at her lips. His reactions were still amusing.

"Eh…I had a lot going on." Makoto lowered his head and covered his mouth with a fashionable green scarf.

"You'd better be happy, Makoto. You won't find many women as understanding as I am." Kyoko sighed.

"_You're_ understanding?" He perked up "…Maybe it really has been longer for you."

"Care to elaborate?" Kyoko gave Makoto "the look".

"Joking! I see that killer glare hasn't changed." He raised his hands defensively.

"I think I've improved on it, thank you very much."

"...What have you been up to? Hina's told me a few things but I'd rather hear it from you."

Kyoko considered making him share his side of the story first…but it was probably better if she got hers out of the way. There wasn't much to tell to begin with. "I'm the director of a large organization within the criminal justice system. It's basically what I used to do; catch criminals. Only now I barely leave the office and just hand out cases or manage my subordinates. Honestly, it's all incredibly boring. I want to retire already." She whined.

Makoto swayed his head in exasperation. Kyoko said all of that as if it were the epitome of the mundane, when from his perspective, it was beyond absurd for someone of such a young age. "You miss being out in the field?"

"A little. It was dangerous, but I miss the excitement. _Anything_ beats paperwork." Kyoko brought a hand to her forehead at the mere thought of the never-ending stacks of paper. "Then again, Hina and Koichi never keep me bored for too long."

"Who's Koichi?" Makoto tilted his head. Kyoko had spoken that name with a similar degree of fondness as the bubbly Asahina.

Just then, Kyoko's lips formed a teasing smirk "Just a man I've known for a long time. He's close enough to be considered family."

"In a…brotherly sort of way?" Makoto scrunched his face.

"No, I'm afraid."

"…"

Kyoko giggled.

"What's so funny?" Makoto pouted, childishly.

"You're still an open-book." He always wore his emotions on his sleeve, she's never met anyone easier to read. Not even Shuichi. "Koichi's like an annoying uncle. It's not remotely the kind of relationship you're thinking."

Makoto sighed. She knew what he was thinking and led him on anyway. "_You're_ still a bully. I wonder if your employees are alright."

"Is that what you think of me? I'll have you know my workers approve of me quite a lot…or so I've heard." There was a possibility that Koichi and Hina might have been screwing with her.

Even so, Makoto beamed at the declaration. "I'm glad to hear it. Now everyone knows how great you are."

"I'll admit that it's nice to be loved." Kyoko flicked a strand of hair as she decided to take the conversation into another, fun, direction. "But if we're on the topic of who's popular, I'd say you'd edge me out, even at work. At least among the girls."

Makoto spluttered, tucking on his scarf again. "Ehehehe, I'm…not sure what you mean."

"That so? Then tell me, Makoto. _What have you been up to_?" She knew all about it, but that didn't mean she couldn't wring it out of him.

"I left the hospital a while back, and made some new friends. Some of them are…um, also your friends by the way."

"Yeah, weird how that worked out." Kyoko grumbled. Kyoko hated not being in the know, yet it appeared there were a number of important connections right under her nose that she'd been blind to.

"It might not have been that big of a coincidence. Did you know that I'm technically your classmate?"

"Explain."

Makoto informed Kyoko of her father's experiment, but he omitted mentioning Komaeda by name or relation.

A wasted effort, because Kyoko already knew that side of the story. It was told to her by the man himself. Still, it appeared there was something she needed to be grateful to Jin for.

"I always thought the number in our class was off. Not much good it does now though." Kyoko shrugged.

"It did great for me. I was able to get into college because of your dad's recommendation. I don't think I'd have managed otherwise."

Kyoko hadn't attended university, there was no need for it. In fact, none of the Hope's Peak talents _needed_ post-secondary education, for their careers were already set in the stone the moment they graduated high-school. And, being perfectly honest, she was already more than intelligent enough without it. Makoto would need the education though. To her knowledge, he'd missed high-school completely and Luck wasn't exactly the most reliable talent to have.

"Is college working out for you?" She asked.

"Yeah. I met a ton of cool people and friends. Like Kaede, Tsumugi, Kaito, Rantaro…" He rambled on like a little kid conveying his first day of school experiences to his parents. Kyoko wasn't the least bit surprised at the laundry list of names and It sounded like he might just list everyone in his school, if she didn't stop him. "Kokichi's a little annoying, but-"

"That sounds great, Makoto…but please stop bragging in front of me."

"I wasn't!" Not really. He had to show that he was a _little_ successful on his end, even if he was a bit on the normal side.

"Pardon me then. But I couldn't help but notice the names were disproportionately female. Why is that?" She said in a sing-song voice.

"…I'm adorable?" He scratched his hair.

"You are…but I wonder if there's a bigger reason?" Kyoko pulled out an all too familiar paper out of her bag and showed him a bookmarked page within.

"…Kyokoooo." He wanted to die right there.

"Say, what do you call this pose?" She teased.

Makoto covered his face in his hands, red as a cherry. "Just put it away and I'll answer anything."

She hadn't quite had her fill of fun yet, but she would give him a slight reprieve because of his earnestness.

"How did you get into the fashion industry?"

"Junko pulled some strings."

"Do you at least enjoy it?" _She_ certainly did.

"It's great once I got over a bit of the embarrassment. My co-workers are nice, it pays the bills, it's not demanding, it-"

"Helps pick up girls?"

"Helps pick up-!" He blushed, having been caught.

"I don't know why you're trying to hide it. Like you said, your friends are_ my friends_ and…sorry, the ones you picked aren't the very best at keeping secrets."

Makoto groaned. Kyoko herself could understand his pain, having been burned by those same friends in the past.

"I was busted right from the start, huh?"

"You never had a chance." The lavender-haired girl snickered.

"I hope you don't think less of me." He mumbled.

"That implies you've done something wrong. As far as I can see, you're catching up on what you were deprived of for too long." Plus, it's not like she stayed celibate herself. "I'm happy you're enjoying yourself."

Makoto gazed at Kyoko with abject awe "You've matured a little. Before you'd have bitten my head off."

"Do you _really_ want to push your luck with me?"

Makoto laughed. Maybe she hadn't grown too much, after all. Now, to begin what was probably going to be the biggest trial of his life.

"Kyoko…um, do you remember the promise we made?"

"Of course. I was worried you'd be the one to forget." She folded her arms.

"That's fair. So, uh, do you still have that book? I don't think we ever got to finish it."

Oh right…Hina destroyed that. "I threw it away." Kyoko lied.

"HUH!?" He…wasn't expecting that.

"It was extra baggage. What? Did you think I'd spend all my time thinking about you like some old widow?" She may have lied but Makoto couldn't seriously have thought she'd keep it after all this time…Evidently, he did, because he looked like he was going into a panic. Why?

"We don't need that book, Makoto."

"You're right. I planned on having it set the mood…but I think it's fine as is." Makoto took on a determined look.

"The mood for?" Kyoko noted once again that he was acting strangely.

_Come on Makoto, you can do this. - _The brown-haired boy stood awkwardly, surprising Kyoko. Then he reached for his pocket to pull out a small, square shaped box.

_Is this what I think it is_ – Kyoko's eyes widened.

Makoto prostrated before her on one knee and flipped the box open, revealing a diamond-encrusted ring

"Kyoko…would you marry me?" Makoto proposed.

Kyoko froze at the declaration, a myriad of thoughts fluttered to the surface at once. She cleared her throat to stall for time.

After taking a deep breath, she smiled "Makoto."

The boy gulped.

"No, I'm not going to marry you." She was going to record the horrified look on his face for future reference.

"I-I screwed up." He shook like a leaf before Kyoko placed one hand on his shoulder and cupped his face with the other.

"You seem to have the wrong idea, Makoto. I hold grudges, and out of everyone in the world, you're currently the biggest target for my grudge."

"You're angry?" He said, breathlessly.

"Yes. You made a promise to me, and you broke it. I wonder if you know how I felt?"

Makoto frowned. He couldn't possibly understand how she felt, especially knowing that Kyoko had gone through something similar in the past. He was an idiot, he should have known proposing was a bad idea. He didn't have any right to-

"But like I said, I'm an understanding woman. That's why I'm going to give you chance to make it up to me."

"Eh?" A spark of hope re-entered his eyes.

"For every fall season you've missed, I'll have you do something for me. And they won't be trivial tasks, so you better be ready to work your butt off." In total, that was 6 commands he needed to obey unfailingly.

"And…after that?" He whispered

Kyoko sighed, almost bashfully "_Then_ I'll let you marry me."

"…You're not rejecting me?" He asked

"No. More like putting it on hold for a bit." A faint blush crossed her cheeks.

"That phrasing bugs me a little…but it seems I'm a free man for a little while longer." He was sure a lot of people would be happy about that…

"You must be joking." Kyoko's smile widened, yet they didn't quite reach eyes this time. In fact, they way she looked at him was a bit…scary. The detective pinned him down to the floor. "My first order is that you go out with me. My second is that you're not allowed to break up with me."

"Huh…uh okay." That was easy, 2 down already. And a lot more sensible than jumping the gun and proposing. Why did he listen to Junko again?

"I hope you've enjoyed the playboy life, because you're mine now." She brought her face close to his, their lips brushing.

"I…can live with that."

Kyoko brought her head down so their lips fully touched. Makoto savored the taste of floral-flavored lipstick. Not wanting to be outdone, he grabbed Kyoko tightly by the waist, inserted his tongue and intertwined it with hers. His partner's eyes widened in response to the action and pulled back slowly, leaving a trail of saliva between them.

"That's going a bit far for a first kiss." Kyoko spoke first, breathless after they separated. She wondered how experienced he really was.

"I...thought it'd be a nice touch. I'm kind of disappointed it wasn't my first." Makoto blushed.

"Who was it?" Kyoko blinked slowly.

"Eh? That's...I don't kiss and tell?" Probably wasn't a good idea to say it was one of her friends.

"Okay, _when_ was it?" Kyoko changed the question.

"A while after I woke up." Makoto said, confused at the need for the date.

"I see. That _is_ a pity." Kyoko showed him a mysterious smile.

* * *

Unbeknownst to the duo, the spectacle was observed by a full group of people currently hiding behind the trees.

"Whoa, Kyoko totally owned him!" Junko cheered ecstatically, watching through binoculars.

"She's got Makoto wrapped around her finger. If he doesn't shape up, his future's looking grim." As per soldier mentality, Mukuro couldn't quite get over the 'strong dominates the weak' principle.

"He proposed. My hopeless brother proposed!" Komaru couldn't believe her eyes. Was she dreaming?

Yuta sighed "We should get going, before this brocon goes into shock."

"Wedding...nephews...I'm not old enough to be an aunt!"

"Why am I here again?" Byakuya was profoundly irritated.

"Come on. We're cheering Kyoko and Makoto on." Hina, the one who all but kidnapped Byakuya, latched onto his arm.

"G-Get away from him, you bimbo." Toko grabbed the other, throwing curses at the athlete.

"You let go!" Hina argued back, embarrassed by the fact that she argued over Byakuya, of all people.

"_Both of you_ let go before I'm charged on account of double homicide." The blonde ripped himself free, albeit not without the grace of a gentleman who knew how to treat a lady. Byakuya walked away from the scene, only for the two to follow.

"Don't two-time my sister, creep!" Yuta entered the fray.

Komaru observed the comical scene and went after her boyfriend, muttering along the lines of 'pot' 'kettle' 'black'. She thought happily of Makoto and was going to cheer him on all the way. That was her duty as a loving little sister.

Sakura shook her head. "That is a battleground even I dare not tread."

"Tell me about it." Mukuro agreed, hands in pocket.

The two fighters trailed after them as well.

Sayaka giggled at the group, or to be precise, the change in dynamics of the relationships present. "Looks like we're all still growing."

She turned her eyes back to Makoto and Kyoko _'You finally did it, Makoto. Good for you.'_

"We should catch up to the others, Junko." Sayaka addressed the only other person present.

The model gazed at the scene with a cold, calculating expression; all trace of the amusement shown earlier vanished like mist. Behind the elaborate antics and ditzy personality, Sayaka knew this was her true face.

"What are you thinking about? Nothing troublesome, I hope." The actress inquired.

"No. It was fun, but the game is over and my role in it. Now I'm Just reveling in my victory." Junko answered, monotone.

Sayaka lifted an eyebrow "Victory? Wait…you mentioned something about a bet once. What did you mean?"

"I'll tell ya on the way." Junko reverted to her outgoing gal persona "Let's go, Stinky Sis."

"…Mukuro already left, a while back actually."

Junko snapped her head back to the bluenette.

"She ditched me!?" Sayaka couldn't tell if Junko was actually serious. "I've had it! I'm going to beat some sense into that girl!"

"Well, Hiro warned you this would happen." Sayaka grabbed onto the model's jacket before she could run off, and probably get herself hurt. "But you're not getting off with that excuse. You _will_ tell me about that bet."

"Ugh, fine. Nosey bitch…Where do I start?"

Junko turned back towards the lovers in the garden. Her expression once again neutral.

_…Idiot._

With that, Junko followed Sayaka out of the area. The model referred to nobody present, but a man who was now nothing more than a memory.

* * *

_"A bet? What are the conditions?" That was a proposition she didn't expect from the doomed man. She'd snuck in here on a whim, maybe to watch him wallow in regret. But would he actually manage to surpass expectations and entertain her to the end?_

_"We're betting on Makoto and Kirigiri."_

_"Oh?" Junko smiled. Now this sounded devious. "Go on." _

_"The terms of the bet are simple; If Makoto and Kirigiri can get back together or stay apart forever."_

_ Junko couldn't hold back her laughter, not that she tried very hard. "You're the best, Nagi! Well, technically the very worst, but I love you!" But what Junko really cared about was "This is a bet right? What side are you on?"_

_"The latter of course." He said, succinctly, causing the model to resume her mad howling._

_"H-How do you plan to start?" She wiped away a tear._

_"I'll arrange for Kirigiri to leave Makoto. I'll use my death as an excuse." Was his answer. It was an absurd premise, but one Junko knew could work. Kyoko was a softie beneath her exterior._

_ "I will leave the rest up to chance. Personally, I doubt Makoto will ever regain the courage to face Kirigiri again and will probably lament his failure for quite a while. Serves him right." Hell, hath no fury like a woman's scorn…or man in this case._

_"And I presume that I'm free to act in any way that will bring them together?"_

_"No. That would be too easy. You can't personally get involved. Your only role is to help Makoto stand on his own. Although, you can leave him to drown in suffering too and forget the bet altogether."_

_Junko was having a very good day "Aren't you taking all the good bits? Can't we switch positions? I'm a lot better at wrecking stuff than putting em back together."_

_"You know that's impossible; I won't be alive to play matchmaker. And besides…I'm the one with the grudge."_

_"Very true."_

_…Nagito laid there in silence, contemplating his decision. "Maybe if I was a little more honest, and circumstances were a little different. I could have competed with Kirigiri fairly."_

_Junko snickered, derisively, indicating he'd just said something outrageously stupid. She wouldn't explain, it was his problem if he couldn't figure out the glaring flaw in his statement._

_"Will you accept the terms, Enoshima?"_

_"Was that a serious question? I'll do it, If only to savor your despair."_

_"I don't believe a corpse can feel despair."_

_"You'd be wrong. The shame of your loss after death is sweeter than you can imagine. You couldn't win in life and you won't win after it either. What more could I ask for than the very last laugh?"_

_"Is that so?" His eyes grew heavy. "Yes…I suppose it is. I've always lost…ever since that day." Nagito Komaeda, the man who claimed to have a memory inferior to that of a monkey, did not ever forget the events of his parent's passing. The horror he experienced as the hi-jacker had his parents at gunpoint. The parents who shielded him with their bodies from the blazing heat of that meteorite. The parents who he loved and in turn loved him so dearly. Nagito also remembered his dog, the remnants of his family meeting his end in a car accident. Nagito lost everything, and so, he never tried to gain anything back. If he couldn't win, then his only alternative was to have nothing to lose. He distanced himself away from pleasures, people and the like under the falsehood of his fascination with hope. He was forced to lie to himself, or else he wouldn't be able to live with himself. He wasn't wrong, and so he had no regrets._

_Just as he closed his eyes, an old memory returned._

_**(**__**"Hey...HEY THERE!")**_

_**(**__**"Huh? I'm Makoto Naegi, your new roommate. Nice to meet you!")**_

_**( O-of course it does! You're my friend, aren't you?)**_

'No!'

_Nagito's eyes exploded opened. His pulse followed as his heart beat faster than what should have been possible. He used whatever strength he had left to turn his head to the side. There he saw Makoto, still asleep, oblivious to the world. He looked…peaceful._

_He wasn't wrong…that…was what he believed, but he lost then too. He missed out on the joys of spending the remainder of his youth with his peers; a fact that was brutally thrust onto him when Makoto, Mikan, Kirigiri, Kuzuryu, Souda and even Junko…no, even that runt Komaru. The youthful energy the younger Naegi exuded was something he greatly envied, thus he felt a secret pleasure in testing her constantly with his provocations. Each and everyone of them were as shining stars he could never hope to reach, not so long as he chained himself to the ground. And he'd created that prison with his own hands._

_He'd called Makoto an idiot but wasn't he the most foolish of all? That question didn't need answering._

_'But if I can use Junko and do this one thing right. Then maybe my life…wouldn't have…been totally…worthless'. _

_He knew there was no guarantee. Junko was fickle. She could easily dismiss his terms at any moment. However, he would bet on a positive outcome, just this once. But, even if he succeeded, that...wouldn't make him happy. That was settling for a consolation. He wanted to be in Her place instead._

_He gritted his teeth._

_'What was I doing all this time? '_

_'What did I accomplish?'_

_'Nothing.'_

_'Not a thing.'_

_'I don't want to die like this.'_

_'What did I tell Junko?'_

_'If I was born more honest?'_

_'If the circumstances were different?'_

_'Nonsense.'_

_'Where is the dignity in that?'_

_'No. I don't want to be someone else.'_

_'I want to stay as myself.'_

_'I want to live.'_

_**'I want to win!' **_

_His entire life flashed before his eyes, in that moment. A sealed memory. He appeared as a child huddled by the front door, waiting for the return for his departed mother and father._

_He waited…and waited…and waited…_

_…_

_The heart monitor near the bed roared_

_Junko had seen the entire metamorphosis transpire. While Nagito had not said a word, Junko's analysis read it all, simply by the alterations in his facial expression. No, that was giving her too much credit; intuition played more role than her talent. In fact, what she couldn't believe what she had seen. Junko's analysis predicted he would expire within 2 days, but the equation was thrown off and changed too rapidly for her to keep up. Somehow, Nagito surpassed her expectations at the last second. Then died, leaving her with nothing. It was like __**the**__ earth-shattering plot-twist to the biggest hit of the season, then having it cancelled right at the finale. What the hell!?_

_Junko relished despair to a considerable degree, it was a sadistic tendency since birth that she often found difficult to control. However, she was also a woman of self-restraint and was aware going too far was out of the question. For that reason, she couldn't take pleasure in what she had just seen. She might have enjoyed herself somewhat had Nagito allowed himself to die true to his nature; deceiving himself. But what she observed was too pitiful. A man who'd spent the better part of his life dreaming and lying, chose to awake to the truth at the end._

_With her slender fingers, she reached for Nagito's lifeless eyes and closed the lids._

_The noise of flat-lining was irritating beyond belief…but oh well, it's not like anyone here would wake up to it. But Junko knew someone would be rushing in soon. Ah, Mikan wouldn't take this well. Poor thing, Junko would console her in the morning._

_Junko walked to the window, sparing Makoto a quick glance and then returning her gaze to Nagito with an expression of pity. He had only himself to blame; the options available to him may have been painfully small, however the choices that led to this end were still his own. _

_Then she jumped out the window. Was she suicidal? Like hell. Mukuro caught her just before she touched ground._

_"Thank you." Junko said._

_"…W-What?" Mukuro was bewildered. Her sister would never utter those words. "A-Are you in a good mood or did I mess up?"_

_"It doesn't matter. Let's go home. I've had enough of this dump." She had a letter to fabricate._

* * *

"That liar." Junko commented. "He didn't care what side he was on. He just wanted to use me to make those clods happy." Moreso Makoto, but who's keeping score?

Sayaka listened to the whole story, dumbfounded. Not knowing if she _could_ comment on what she heard.

Grudge? Who was he fooling? "Whatever. I won in the end, and he lost. Just like I predicted." Junko said, yet she wasn't the least bit pleased. Her actions were nothing more than a tribute.

Junko considered herself a mature woman. Junko didn't mind losing; it was an essential part of playing a game and defeat brought her nearly as much joy as victory. In this case, she would have been satisfied with either hope or despair; it meant little more than a conclusive defeat or a conclusive victory. Nagito lived with despair, but gained a false hope at the last minute. Thus, he gave Junko neither and she couldn't stand it.

She couldn't approve a boring end to such an interesting person. And so, Junko honored her side of the deal, if only to make his end a little less boring for her, posthumously. Whether that end was hope or despair…it mattered little.

_This was an expression of Junko Enoshima's love._

-10 years later-

Makoto Naegi, pulled into his driveway on a stormy night. As someone who grew up in a humble household, he didn't think he would ever get used the extravagant estate. And anyone who knew the man would think the same. But he had no intention of leaving, so why complain?

The weather hadn't been kind to his return from a long trip. Makoto shielded himself from the rain with an umbrella in one hand, while he tugged on a bag filled with souvenirs in the other.

Once at the door, he reached for his key and unlocked it.

After a deep breath, he spoke with a big grin "Honey, I'm home!" Anyone who knew the man would also agree that 10 years hadn't changed his lovable status as a total dork.

Kyoko Kirigiri came into view, every bit as gorgeous as on the day he married her. In respect for their families, Makoto kept his last name but was filed under the Kirigiri register.

Kyoko wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

"Glad to have you back. I hope the set wasn't too tiring."

"I'm used to it." He'd moved on from being a model and taken Sayaka's advice. Now he was a notable actor. "How about you?"

"Work is better. Crime rates are an all-time low, so I'm getting more free-time soon." Makoto knew Kyoko was speaking relatively. He could still see signs of exhaustion on her features.

"Maybe you should finally quit and become a housewife." He joked. Kyoko would never even consider it. "_Then_ I could get you in an apron again. The less underneath, the better." He said with a perverted smile.

Kyoko replied with a smirk of her own. "I believe I got _you_ in the naked apron first."

Makoto coughed in embarrassment, heat rising to his cheeks. "I _still_ think you're crazy for wasting your last command on _that_."

"Oh, it was _definitely_ worth it."

He proposed again right after. Perhaps it _was _worth it.

"Oh, where's the little guy?" Makoto beamed at the thought of his son. However, he didn't miss Kyoko's deflated expression.

"Kyoko?"

"We have a problem." She gently dragged his arm him to the living room. There, Makoto saw his son, Nagito Kirigiri, snoring gently on the sofa.

Makoto's heart skipped a beat at the sight as he smiled warmly. "What's the problem?" He asked, Kyoko as Makoto picked the boy up and held him in his arms. Nagito reflexively latched onto him.

"I came home and found him on the floor."

"Eh?" Makoto's eyes widened "Is he alright?"

"I'm sure he is. I asked Komaru to look after him and she told me Nagito was put in bed before she locked up." Kyoko looked pensive.

"Then maybe the lightning woke him, and he got scared." Makoto deduced.

"Our son doesn't scare easy." She crossed her arms and glared.

"I wonder about that." He chuckled, thinking Kyoko's expectations were a _little_ high for a 6-year-old. "So, he missed us that much?"

"I think so. There isn't any other reason why he waited at the door."

Makoto frowned. "I don't suppose we can have one of our friends look after him whenever we we're busy."

"I wouldn't approve it. I'm not letting Nagito end up like Shuichi." Kyoko tapped her feet.

"…Shuichi's feelings would be hurt if he heard that." Leave it to Makoto to have a positive opinion of his wife's ex.

"That's the problem. I'd rather Nagito be emotionally stronger than Shuichi was." It's not like Kyoko hadn't repeatedly chastised the other detective to his face.

"Like your brother?" Makoto raised an eyebrow to convey his cynicism.

"No. Like Me." Kyoko blinked

"…Um…" Makoto failed to meet her eyes.

"If you say _anything_ along the lines of 'that's the same thing'? You're sleeping on the couch tonight."

Makoto laughed at the empty threat, still not quite understanding why his wife and brother-in-law refused to ever admit they shared a similar nature. Or...maybe that was precisely the reason.

"You're overreacting. Nagito's just a kid, let him act like one while he's got the chance. He's got _our_ genes, he'll turn out alright no matter what." He ignored his wife's glare. "Still, this is good timing. I'm on vacation for a while so we can figure things out in the meantime."

That's when a playful idea came to Makoto's mind. "Maybe he'd feel less lonely if he had someone to play with."

"Kai might be up for it. He'd make a good role model." Kyoko answered, dodging the innuendo.

Makoto rolled his eyes. Kai had emulated his siblings _too_ strongly and taken on some of their best and worst traits. That boy was far too advanced for any 12-year-old; Nagito would never be able to keep up at half that age.

"I was thinking more along the lines of giving him another sibling." He smiled suggestively.

Kyoko sighed then smiled in defeat "…We're going for a girl this time."

"Great, I've always wanted a daughter!" Makoto followed Kyoko to their room.

"You say that now, but if she's anything like me then I doubt you'll be able to handle her."

"That just means I'd love her even more." The couple fell into bed, with their son tucked in the middle.

"Any ideas we've got for a name?" Makoto wrapped the bedsheet around them.

"We? You mean _me_, right? You already gave up your rights on Nagito." Makoto had been adamant on naming their first child after his closest friend. Secretly, Kyoko approved, though she'd never admit it. Also…Makoto won the bet they'd made years ago on that mystery novel and called it. Turns out it was the maid, go figure. "That was one of the rare cases where you showed just how stubborn you are. I can't win when you're like that."

"Really? I've always thought you gave in easily. You're usually more steadfast when you're really opposed to one of my decisions." Makoto pouted. "I've always felt like I missed out on a lot, like the two of you knowing each other. I can't even imagine you two in the same room without-"

"Driving each other insane?" Kyoko spoke for him. Makoto nodded "That's not totally off-base, we mixed like oil and water…but we tolerated each other. And he saved your life, I can't thank him enough for that; the least I could do was let you honor his memory."

"Bet I could tell you how Komaeda'd react if he heard you say that."

"He'd take a passive-aggressive stance and say I've gotten soft. All in a vain attempt at masking his own embarrassment." Kyoko felt a headache coming along just remembering what the boy was like.

"Wow…you really did know each other." Makoto smiled ruefully. Kyoko had told him everything that happened in his absence.

"You haven't forgiven yourself, have you?"

"No…I don't think so."

"Stupid." Even though she'd told him countless times that Komaeda wasn't bothered by the things he'd said. But Makoto was too kind to let go, and that was among the many traits she loved about him.

*Yawn*

The couple moved their heads downwards to see Nagito stirring awake.

"Hey there, tyke." Makoto patted his head.

"Dad?" Nagito slurred at first, then hugged Makoto tightly once he realized he wasn't in a dream.

"Heh, guess he really did miss us." Makoto returned the embrace.

"More like he missed _you_. Where's my love?" Kyoko frowned. The boy turned around and did the same to her. He couldn't hold them both at once despite his attempts, so they spared the poor boy and pulled him into a group embrace.

"So, why'd you sleep downstairs, champ?" Makoto asked.

"Um…"

"Were you scared?"

"…A little."

Makoto shot Kyoko a triumphant look. To which, his wife rolled her eyes.

"You shouldn't have been. You know nothing can hurt you here." Kyoko reprimanded him. Nagito looked away, ashamed.

"It's fine to be scared sometimes. Just know that we'll never let anything happen to you." Makoto interjected

"But, what if you're not here?" The boy muttered lowly, but loud enough for his parents to hear. Kyoko and Makoto shared a troubled look.

"I had a nightmare." The child continued.

"About what?" Kyoko gently caressed the boy's hair; a pale white color, lighter than her own lavender.

"I was alone. I waited for so long, but nobody ever came. It was…lonely, scary." In response to his worries, Makoto and Kyoko held him tighter.

"That was just a dream." One Kyoko would never let come true.

"We will always be there for you." Makoto wouldn't allow anyone to be left behind.

""Always.""

* * *

**All's well that ends well...unless you're Komaeda. This story wasn't about him, unfortunately. My intentions with this series was to make a different kind of Naegiri story. These two developed a somewhat unhealthy dependence, but thanks to relationships with other relatives and close others, they're able to grow into functioning adults despite emotional setbacks in their childhoods.**

**Thanks for reading it.**


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